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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chair · land · jam · lash · charge · perch · bank · ball

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bank — for money
  3. ball — a great time
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. land — a country
  6. ball — a dance
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. land — ground
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bank — for money
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chair — a leader
  14. perch — the fish
  15. land — to come down
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. charge — in control
  19. bank — of a river
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. lash — to lash out

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