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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: land · perch · foot · hide · staff · cap · charge · mug

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. charge — electricity
  4. perch — the fish
  5. staff — a stick
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. cap — of ice
  8. mug — to rob
  9. land — a country
  10. charge — in control
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. mug — a cup
  15. land — to come down
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mug — a face
  19. foot — a measure
  20. land — ground
  21. cap — a lid
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. staff — employees

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