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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: rule · cold · fine · jam · perch · charge · press · can

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cold — an illness
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. charge — electricity
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. perch — the fish
  14. press — to push
  15. charge — in control
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rule — government
  18. press — a publisher
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cold — not warm
  22. can — a tin
  23. rule — a law
  24. charge — a price

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