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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 120 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: perch · charge · swing · face · leaves · fall · deal · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fall — the season
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. face — to point toward
  7. swing — in golf
  8. face — to confront
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. swing — music
  12. charge — a price
  13. face — part of the head
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fall — to drop
  21. deal — to handle
  22. fall — to drop
  23. swing — to play on
  24. perch — for a bird

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