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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 120 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: charge · chip · lash · rush · lie · straw · perch · mine

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lie — to recline
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mine — for digging
  6. rush — hurry
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. charge — electricity
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. charge — a price
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. charge — in control
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. chip — in a computer

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