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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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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 · key · ball · safe · perch · swing · fork · bore

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ball — a great time
  3. swing — music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. charge — in control
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. key — in music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bore — to drill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. charge — electricity
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bore — to tire
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. charge — a price
  19. perch — the fish
  20. swing — to play on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fork — a garden tool

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