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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 120 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.

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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 · bulb · bear · tear · perch · wave · pound · chair

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bulb — for light
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. perch — the fish
  19. charge — in control
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. chair — to sit on

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