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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: content · spell · perch · charge · pound · scale · pop · lie

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. charge — a price
  5. spell — a short time
  6. pop — music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pound — a weight
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — to recline
  11. scale — in music
  12. content — the amount
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. spell — magic
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. content — happy
  21. spell — letters
  22. charge — electricity
  23. scale — for weighing
  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