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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · perch · game · arm · bear · roll · key · cabinet

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. roll — a list
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. game — a match
  11. roll — a cake
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. game — wild animals
  14. key — for a lock
  15. charge — a price
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. perch — the fish
  19. charge — electricity
  20. key — the most important part
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — in music
  24. bear — the animal

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