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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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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: ball · bay · fine · charge · rest · lean · deal · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. charge — a price
  3. rest — what's left
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. deal — to handle
  11. charge — in control
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rest — a break
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fine — all right
  20. ball — a dance
  21. charge — electricity
  22. lean — thin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fine — high quality

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