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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · mine · kid · charge · suit · jam · mark · mug

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. kid — child
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. charge — a price
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. suit — in cards
  10. charge — electricity
  11. perch — the fish
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mark — a trace
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mark — a grade
  20. charge — in control
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mine — for digging
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. perch — for a bird

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