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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.

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: perch · chair · charge · can · cell · bowl · fan · last

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. last — finally
  5. cell — in biology
  6. charge — in control
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cell — a phone
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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