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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.

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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: scale · shower · charge · fan · stand · perch · object · bound

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stand — to bear
  3. scale — size or range
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — rain
  8. scale — in music
  9. shower — to wash
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. object — a thing
  12. perch — the fish
  13. object — to protest
  14. bound — tied together
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bound — certain
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. object — an aim

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