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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: perch · bulb · ground · firm · current · drill · wax · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. drill — the tool
  3. wax — to grow
  4. perch — the fish
  5. charge — in control
  6. ground — a position
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ground — crushed
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. current — happening now
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. current — of water
  18. drill — army training
  19. charge — electricity
  20. current — electric
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — steady
  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