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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
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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: content · perch · pitcher · mug · net · sharp · charge · safe

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. mug — a cup
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. mug — to rob
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mug — a face
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. sharp — clever
  16. content — the amount
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. perch — the fish
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. net — in sport
  22. content — happy
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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