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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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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: fork · saw · kick · pass · wake · charge · roll · perch

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wake — a trail
  3. charge — in control
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. pass — a permit
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — in football
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. roll — a cake
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fork — in a road
  17. charge — electricity
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. roll — a list
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pass — to succeed

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