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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bat · charge · sharp · rush · wave · bore · perch · bowl

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. charge — a price
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. perch — the fish
  11. charge — in control
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. rush — hurry
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. sharp — clever

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