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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · bark · safe · rule · straw · perch · charge · tube

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rule — government
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rule — a law
  7. perch — the fish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bark — to shout
  17. stand — to bear
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. charge — electricity
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. charge — in control
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. tube — a container

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com