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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: charge · ground · mate · key · perch · wake · stock · trunk

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. charge — electricity
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mate — a friend
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stock — shares
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — the earth
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. key — in music
  20. mate — to breed
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. stock — goods
  24. trunk — of a car

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