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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.

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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: bound · swing · plane · last · saw · tube · charge · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. charge — electricity
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bound — obliged
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tube — a container
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bound — tied together
  13. saw — the tool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. last — to go on
  16. charge — a price
  17. last — final
  18. last — finally
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bound — certain
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — in control
  23. tube — the underground
  24. swing — music

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