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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · drill · suit · fan · charge · present · arm · perch

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — in cards
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — army training
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. charge — in control
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bear — the animal
  14. drill — a practice
  15. present — a gift
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — to fit
  18. present — the time now
  19. charge — a price
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. drill — the tool
  22. present — there
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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