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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. charge — a price
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — a committee
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. perch — the fish
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. charge — in control
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fork — in a road
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. kid — child
  19. bear — the animal
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — to get on
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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