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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: perch · fine · arm · charge · scale · band · safe · track

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. charge — in control
  3. track — to keep track
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. scale — size or range
  6. perch — the fish
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fine — all right
  14. scale — in music
  15. track — a path
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fine — high quality
  20. charge — a price
  21. track — a song
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. band — a ring
  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