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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.

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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: charge · row · mouse · fine · stock · ruler · spell · wake

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. charge — in control
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wake — a trail
  9. fine — high quality
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stock — shares
  12. row — to paddle
  13. charge — a price
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. spell — letters
  20. stock — goods
  21. spell — a short time
  22. fine — all right
  23. spell — magic
  24. row — a line

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