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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: charge · bore · suit · firm · perch · band · net · chest

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. band — a music group
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. charge — a price
  6. net — for catching
  7. chest — a box
  8. net — after costs
  9. bore — to drill
  10. suit — in cards
  11. firm — a company
  12. bore — to tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. charge — electricity
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — of your body
  20. net — in sport
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. charge — in control
  24. band — a ring

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