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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.

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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: tear · pass · cue · perch · rush · charge · can · fan

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rush — hurry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — a price
  7. tear — to rip
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — a tin
  11. tear — from crying
  12. charge — in control
  13. pass — a permit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. can — to be able to
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. can — a tin
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pass — to spend time

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