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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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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: charge · rock · dip · kid · race · perch · firm · cap

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. race — the arms race
  3. rock — a stone
  4. charge — in control
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. firm — decided
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. dip — to sink
  9. perch — the fish
  10. charge — electricity
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. charge — a price
  13. firm — steady
  14. rock — music
  15. race — a contest
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. race — humankind
  19. cap — of ice
  20. kid — to tease
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. firm — a company
  24. kid — child

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