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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 · swing · suit · kick · perch · bark · object · spell

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bark — to shout
  3. perch — the fish
  4. spell — magic
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. swing — in golf
  9. kick — in football
  10. spell — a short time
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — a thing
  13. swing — music
  14. spell — letters
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. suit — to fit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — in control
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. charge — electricity
  23. suit — clothes
  24. object — an aim

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