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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fan · rock · tube · hide · root · field · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. charge — electricity
  6. field — for sport
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. charge — a price
  10. root — of a plant
  11. tube — the underground
  12. field — a subject
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. field — farmland
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. perch — the fish
  21. tube — a container
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rock — music
  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