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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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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 · perch · lash · row · drill · trunk · pound · pitch

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. charge — a price
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. row — a line
  15. charge — in control
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pitch — completely
  21. charge — electricity
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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