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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: roll · bowl · swing · file · pop · charge · pit · perch

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. swing — to play on
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. file — a tool
  5. roll — a list
  6. file — a document
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. perch — the fish
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pop — soda
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pop — music
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pit — in a race
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. swing — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. roll — a cake
  20. file — a line of people
  21. charge — a price
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. charge — in control

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