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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: perch · mug · charge · leaves · pound · nail · mouse · tear

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. tear — to rip
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. perch — the fish
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mug — a face
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mug — a cup
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pound — a weight
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. charge — in control

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