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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mug — a face
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. can — a tin
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. charge — a price
  10. perch — the fish
  11. charge — in control
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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