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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
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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: mine · perch · dip · nail · hide · rush · charge · mouse

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. charge — in control
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mine — an explosive
  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