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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: perch · charge · ruler · swing · rule · leaves · bay · stock

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. swing — to play on
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. charge — in control
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — shares
  12. swing — music
  13. rule — a law
  14. charge — a price
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — electricity
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rule — government
  22. stock — goods
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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