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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.

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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: charge · pass · face · can · perch · fall · present · bulb

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bulb — for light
  4. fall — to drop
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fall — to drop
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. present — there
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — to confront
  11. fall — the season
  12. present — a gift
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. charge — a price
  15. face — part of the head
  16. charge — in control
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — a permit
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. perch — the fish
  22. can — a tin
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. present — the time now

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