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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.

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: roll · kick · press · land · row · hide · perch · charge

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. charge — in control
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. roll — a cake
  5. row — to paddle
  6. land — a country
  7. roll — a list
  8. charge — electricity
  9. kick — in football
  10. press — a publisher
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. land — ground
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. row — a line
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. land — to come down
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. charge — a price
  22. press — to push
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. press — newspapers

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