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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: current · perch · charge · arm · cap · rash · ball · last

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cap — a lid
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. last — finally
  7. last — final
  8. current — happening now
  9. rash — hasty
  10. perch — the fish
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — electric
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. charge — a price
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. last — to go on
  22. current — of water
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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