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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.

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: saw · charge · arm · perch · cap · fan · squash · rule

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — a hat
  6. charge — a price
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. rule — a law
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the sport
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. saw — the tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cap — of ice
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rule — government

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