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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 120 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: perch · bank · saw · shower · tube · ruler · ground · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ground — the earth
  4. shower — to wash
  5. tube — the underground
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bank — for money
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. shower — rain
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. tube — a container
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. tube — in a tire

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