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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: present · bank · mouse · perch · toast · pop · lash · charge

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pop — music
  8. present — there
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pop — soda
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — in control
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bank — for money
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. present — the time now
  21. toast — bread
  22. charge — a price
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — electricity

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