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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.

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: perch · shower · cabinet · calf · charge · press · bulb · drill

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. bulb — for light
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. drill — army training
  7. charge — a price
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. press — newspapers
  10. shower — to wash
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. charge — in control
  17. press — a publisher
  18. shower — rain
  19. perch — the fish
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. calf — of the leg

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