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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.

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: spring · perch · charge · race · bowl · pop · key · row

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. race — a contest
  3. row — to paddle
  4. charge — electricity
  5. race — humankind
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. row — a line
  9. key — for a lock
  10. charge — in control
  11. pop — music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. race — the arms race
  14. spring — of water
  15. charge — a price
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pop — to visit
  18. key — in music
  19. pop — soda
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. key — the most important part
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. perch — the fish

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