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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: file · toast · degree · charge · perch · plane · bulb · capital

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. plane — a tool
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. capital — money
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bulb — for light
  10. file — a tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. capital — a city
  13. file — a line of people
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. charge — a price
  16. bulb — for light
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — an amount
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. degree — temperature
  21. charge — electricity
  22. file — a document
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. perch — for a bird

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