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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
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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: shower · charge · perch · degree · face · board · chip · bank

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. shower — rain
  3. face — part of the head
  4. shower — to wash
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bank — for money
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. perch — the fish
  9. face — to confront
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chip — for betting
  15. degree — an amount
  16. board — to get on
  17. bank — for money
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. board — a committee
  21. degree — from a university
  22. chip — to eat
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. face — to point toward

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