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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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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. perch — the fish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pit — a hole
  12. staff — employees
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. kid — to tease
  15. staff — employees
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — a price
  18. pit — in a race
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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