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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 · press · bass · mate · charge · suit · wax · fall

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. press — a publisher
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fall — the season
  5. mate — a partner
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bass — the fish
  9. press — to push
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. charge — a price
  12. bass — low music
  13. suit — in cards
  14. press — newspapers
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fall — to drop
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — in control

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