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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 116 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: land · squash · fork · perch · charge · dip · board · ground

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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 — a price
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — a committee
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. fork — in a road
  11. squash — the sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. land — to come down
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ground — the earth
  19. board — to get on
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. perch — for a bird

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