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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.

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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: charge · roll · last · can · ball · bear · perch · coach

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — in control
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — a tin
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. can — to be able to
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake
  19. last — finally
  20. can — a tin
  21. last — final
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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