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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.

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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: pound · toast · rock · bore · perch · present · charge · kick

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bore — to drill
  3. kick — in football
  4. rock — music
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. present — there
  8. charge — in control
  9. pound — a weight
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. present — the time now
  14. charge — a price
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. charge — electricity
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rock — a stone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. toast — bread
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. present — a gift

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