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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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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: deal · bear · firm · fall · cabinet · perch · cell · charge

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. fall — to drop
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — in control
  5. firm — steady
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fall — the season
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cell — a phone
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. firm — a company
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. deal — to handle
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cabinet — ministers

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