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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: patient · degree · temple · rock · perch · trunk · stock · charge

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. charge — electricity
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. charge — a price
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. degree — from a university
  7. stock — shares
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. perch — the fish
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stock — goods
  15. degree — temperature
  16. rock — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. degree — an amount
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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