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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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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: stand · kick · perch · rest · bound · present · fall · charge

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rest — a break
  3. present — the time now
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — in football
  6. charge — a price
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bound — obliged
  9. charge — electricity
  10. present — there
  11. fall — to drop
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. fall — the season
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fall — to drop
  17. present — a gift
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — in control
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bound — certain
  24. perch — the fish

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