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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · pop · cue · rock · charge · stem · content · perch

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. charge — in control
  3. pop — to visit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cue — a hint
  8. content — happy
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — to come from
  11. pop — music
  12. rock — music
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rock — a stone
  16. content — the amount
  17. drill — army training
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pop — soda
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. charge — a price
  23. drill — a practice
  24. perch — for a bird

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