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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: chip · perch · rush · charge · stand · craft · land · mine

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — to bear
  5. charge — in control
  6. land — ground
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. chip — to eat
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chip — for betting
  12. land — a country
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rush — hurry
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. land — to come down
  23. mine — for digging
  24. charge — a price

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