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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: charge · content · key · bank · mine · perch · craft · pop

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pop — soda
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bank — of a river
  6. perch — the fish
  7. charge — electricity
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mine — for digging
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bank — for money
  13. key — for a lock
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. craft — boats
  17. key — in music
  18. bank — for money
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pop — music
  22. content — the amount
  23. pop — to visit
  24. charge — in control

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