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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.

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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: lie · rush · racket · roll · firm · charge · content · perch

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. lie — to recline
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — a company
  6. charge — in control
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. firm — decided
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. content — happy
  14. roll — a list
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. charge — a price
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — the amount
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. firm — steady
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rush — hurry

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