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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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cap — a hat
  3. perch — the fish
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. cap — of ice
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. charge — in control
  10. club — a group
  11. cap — a lid
  12. suit — clothes
  13. club — for golf
  14. capital — money
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. suit — to fit
  22. club — for dancing
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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