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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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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: rule · rest · perch · cue · mouse · charge · patient · cap

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. rest — a break
  5. cue — for pool
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rest — what's left
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cap — of ice
  11. rule — a law
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. charge — in control
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rule — government
  21. cap — a hat
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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