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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: charge · lie · toast · ground · perch · dip · craft · leaves

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. charge — in control
  3. ground — a position
  4. lie — to recline
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. craft — a skill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. toast — bread
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ground — the earth
  15. charge — a price
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. craft — boats
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. perch — the fish
  24. leaves — of a tree

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