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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: present · bat · stand · date · charge · leaves · perch · lash

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bat — the animal
  6. date — the fruit
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. present — a gift
  12. charge — electricity
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. present — there
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stand — to bear
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. perch — the fish
  21. present — the time now
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bat — for baseball
  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