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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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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: charge · scale · perch · toast · temple · bark · stick · arm

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. scale — size or range
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. charge — a price
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. toast — bread
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. scale — in music
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bark — to shout
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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