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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. clip — a video
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. clip — for paper
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — music
  16. charge — a price
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bear — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. craft — boats
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bowl — to roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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