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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: stem · leaves · charge · perch · wake · hand · board · calf

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. wake — a trail
  2. charge — a price
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. hand — help
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — to come from
  18. board — a committee
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. charge — electricity
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. board — to get on
  23. perch — for a bird
  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