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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: perch · track · squash · branch · foot · drill · charge · toast

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. track — a path
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. squash — the sport
  7. drill — army training
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. toast — bread
  10. track — a song
  11. charge — a price
  12. drill — a practice
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. squash — to crush
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. perch — the fish
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. charge — electricity
  19. drill — the tool
  20. branch — a division
  21. track — to keep track
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. perch — for a bird
  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