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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: race · content · club · cap · bear · perch · charge · rush

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cap — a lid
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — hurry
  8. race — the arms race
  9. perch — the fish
  10. charge — in control
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. content — the amount
  13. race — humankind
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. content — happy
  18. club — a group
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. club — for golf
  21. charge — a price
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. club — for dancing
  24. cap — a hat

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