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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · charge · game · perch · current · pit · pitcher · pound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pound — a weight
  6. game — a match
  7. file — a line of people
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. file — a document
  11. current — happening now
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. file — a tool
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. game — wild animals
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pitcher — a jug

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