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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · jam · charge · court · craft · squash · mark · rock

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rock — a stone
  6. perch — the fish
  7. charge — electricity
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. charge — a price
  13. squash — to crush
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rock — music
  16. court — of law
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of a king
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. charge — in control
  23. craft — boats
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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