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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: game · perch · scale · branch · wake · charge · ruler · nail

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. charge — a price
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. scale — size or range
  9. game — wild animals
  10. charge — in control
  11. scale — in music
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. perch — the fish
  15. charge — electricity
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. branch — a division
  19. wake — a trail
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — before a funeral

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