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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: stock · mark · perch · can · charge · prune · march · rule

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. stock — goods
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stock — shares
  10. charge — a price
  11. prune — to trim
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mark — a grade
  15. can — to be able to
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — in control
  18. rule — a law
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — government
  21. can — a tin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. charge — electricity

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