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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 120 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: perch · bowl · rule · plane · bore · land · charge · trunk

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. rule — a law
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. land — a country
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rule — government
  16. land — ground
  17. charge — in control
  18. land — to come down
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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