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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: cabinet · charge · game · spell · bank · kick · perch · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bank — for money
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. perch — the fish
  6. spell — a short time
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. charge — a price
  9. spell — magic
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. spell — letters
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — in control
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. rush — hurry
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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