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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: charge · squash · file · wave · perch · racket · bark · rock

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. squash — to crush
  3. charge — a price
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. squash — the sport
  6. file — a document
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. charge — in control
  11. rock — a stone
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. charge — electricity
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. file — a tool
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. perch — the fish

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