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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 120 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.

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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: perch · band · charge · can · lie · cue · current · nail

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. lie — to recline
  3. charge — electricity
  4. perch — the fish
  5. can — to be able to
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. charge — in control
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — for pool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — a signal
  14. band — a music group
  15. current — of water
  16. cue — a hint
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. current — electric
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — happening now
  24. lie — an untruth

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