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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: leaves · perch · pop · lean · row · hide · rash · charge

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. charge — a price
  3. perch — the fish
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. lean — to bend
  7. row — a line
  8. pop — soda
  9. rash — hasty
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lean — thin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — in control
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pop — music
  17. rash — a series
  18. pop — to visit
  19. charge — electricity
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. row — to paddle

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