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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stand — to bear
  3. charge — electricity
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. present — there
  6. mark — a grade
  7. kick — in football
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. present — a gift
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rule — a law
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. present — the time now
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. suit — in cards
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rule — government
  24. mark — to pay attention

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