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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: cell · lash · tube · track · perch · cabinet · charge · can

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. perch — the fish
  6. charge — a price
  7. tube — the underground
  8. track — a path
  9. charge — in control
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. can — a tin
  12. cell — in biology
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. can — a tin
  16. track — a song
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cell — a phone
  19. track — to keep track
  20. charge — electricity
  21. can — to be able to
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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