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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. charge — in control
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rest — a break
  6. object — a thing
  7. fall — to drop
  8. charge — a price
  9. fall — to drop
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fall — the season
  20. suit — to fit
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. charge — electricity

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