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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · press · perch · shower · pound · mate · charge · plane

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. press — newspapers
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. plane — a tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. charge — electricity
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. press — to push
  16. pound — a weight
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. press — a publisher
  20. mate — a partner
  21. shower — rain
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. charge — in control
  24. shower — to wash

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