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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
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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: perch · object · arm · pop · calf · fan · charge · ball

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. perch — the fish
  3. charge — a price
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — to visit
  6. ball — a great time
  7. object — an aim
  8. ball — a dance
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. object — to protest
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pop — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — in control
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. object — a thing
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. calf — a young animal

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