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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: jam · chair · coach · perch · board · charge · squash · scale

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. scale — size or range
  3. squash — to crush
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. squash — the sport
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. scale — in music
  11. chair — a leader
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. perch — the fish
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. board — a committee
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — electricity
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. charge — in control

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