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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: jam · rash · object · bear · perch · net · press · charge

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. press — to push
  5. charge — in control
  6. bear — the animal
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — to protest
  12. net — in sport
  13. object — an aim
  14. press — newspapers
  15. object — a thing
  16. press — a publisher
  17. net — for catching
  18. rash — hasty
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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