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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: charge · key · perch · cap · bass · mouse · leaves · club

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. club — for golf
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bass — the fish
  12. key — for a lock
  13. charge — in control
  14. club — for dancing
  15. charge — a price
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cap — a lid
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. club — a group
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. perch — the fish

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