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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: charge · game · scale · bulb · bound · dip · perch · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. roll — a cake
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bound — certain
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. game — a match
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — the fish
  18. game — wild animals
  19. charge — in control
  20. scale — in music
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bound — tied together
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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