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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: bass · dip · charge · pound · plane · perch · spell · rest

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bass — low music
  7. spell — magic
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bass — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. dip — to sink
  18. spell — letters
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rest — a break
  21. spell — a short time
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. charge — a price
  24. bass — the instrument

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