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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
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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 · date · fine · wake · perch · hide · ball · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fine — all right
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — the fish
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. charge — a price
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — electricity
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. scale — size or range
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. date — the fruit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fine — high quality
  24. scale — for weighing

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