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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.

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 · bark · can · roll · perch · scale · patient · game

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. bark — of a tree
  2. can — a tin
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. can — a tin
  5. roll — a list
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a match
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bark — to shout
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — electricity
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. charge — a price
  19. roll — a cake
  20. can — to be able to
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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