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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · lean · wind · board · rush · row · stand · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — to bear
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lean — to bend
  6. charge — a price
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. row — to paddle
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — in control
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lean — thin
  20. perch — the fish
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. board — to get on
  24. row — a line

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