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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cue · charge · cap · row · ball · perch · arm · land

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — in control
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cap — a lid
  9. ball — a great time
  10. land — ground
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. land — to come down
  13. cue — a signal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cap — a hat
  16. perch — the fish
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cap — of ice
  19. land — a country
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cue — for pool
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. row — a quarrel

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