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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · pound · chair · charge · kick · perch

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. charge — in control
  3. kick — in football
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chair — a leader
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. perch — the fish
  17. deal — to handle
  18. perch — for a bird

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