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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mug — a face
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. suit — to fit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. perch — the fish
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. foot — a measure
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — in cards
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. suit — clothes
  22. charge — electricity
  23. foot — part of the body
  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