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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: capital · chair · charge · lie · current · stock · perch · lean

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. current — happening now
  4. lie — to recline
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lean — thin
  7. charge — in control
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. current — of water
  11. capital — a city
  12. lean — to bend
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. current — electric
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stock — shares
  17. capital — money
  18. charge — a price
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stock — goods
  24. chair — to sit on

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