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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: deal · charge · safe · bear · mine · ball · swing · perch

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — for digging
  5. swing — to play on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — a price
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. swing — music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. swing — in golf
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ball — a dance
  18. charge — in control
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ball — a round shape

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