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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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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: suit · present · perch · key · branch · rush · charge · season

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. suit — clothes
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. branch — a division
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — electricity
  8. season — of the year
  9. present — there
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. season — in sport
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — in cards
  15. charge — in control
  16. rush — hurry
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. present — a gift
  20. key — the most important part
  21. present — the time now
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — in music

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