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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
468
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: wake · spell · lash · charge · deal · patient · perch · stock

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — in control
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stock — shares
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. charge — a price
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. perch — the fish
  22. stock — goods
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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