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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: hide · face · toast · rock · charge · perch · rush · saw

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. saw — the tool
  7. face — to confront
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — music
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rock — a stone
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rush — hurry
  21. toast — bread
  22. face — to point toward
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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