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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 116 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: kick · net · wave · mouse · perch · charge · stick · ruler

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — the fish
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. charge — a price
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. net — in sport
  16. kick — in football
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. net — for catching
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — after costs
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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