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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
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: bay · charge · bat · bound · land · scale · perch · temple

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bound — certain
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bound — tied together
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. charge — in control
  14. scale — size or range
  15. land — ground
  16. perch — the fish
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. charge — a price
  21. bat — the animal
  22. land — a country
  23. bound — obliged
  24. scale — in music

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