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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: roll · charge · board · ruler · stock · perch · stick · band

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. charge — in control
  3. band — a music group
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — a price
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. roll — a cake
  8. perch — the fish
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. band — a ring
  15. charge — electricity
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. stock — goods
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a committee
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. roll — a list
  24. stock — shares

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