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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — electricity
  4. kid — child
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bank — for money
  7. kid — to tease
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. spell — a short time
  10. mate — a friend
  11. perch — the fish
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. charge — a price
  16. spell — magic
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bank — of a river
  19. mate — to breed
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spell — letters
  22. mate — a partner
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. perch — for a bird

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