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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.

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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: perch · game · club · bound · wave · pit · face · charge

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. face — to point toward
  3. charge — in control
  4. club — a group
  5. bound — certain
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. charge — a price
  10. club — for golf
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. face — to confront
  15. charge — electricity
  16. game — a match
  17. club — for dancing
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. perch — the fish
  20. game — wild animals
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wave — of the sea

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