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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
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: mate · bore · press · fine · charge · fall · band · perch

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. charge — electricity
  3. press — newspapers
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. band — a music group
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — all right
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bore — to drill
  13. band — a ring
  14. press — a publisher
  15. mate — to breed
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fine — high quality
  20. charge — in control
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fall — the season

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