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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 116 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 · kick · bark · stand · season · mate · dip · perch

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. charge — in control
  3. season — of the year
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. perch — the fish
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. charge — a price
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stand — to bear
  17. dip — to sink
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. season — in sport
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. kick — in football
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mate — a partner

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