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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: rock · cabinet · charge · perch · rash · stock · wound · fall

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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. wound — an injury
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fall — the season
  6. rash — a series
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. charge — in control
  12. stock — shares
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. fall — to drop
  17. charge — a price
  18. stock — goods
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rock — a stone
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stock — a soup base

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