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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: vault · press · wound · charge · mouse · current · perch · leaves

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wound — an injury
  4. charge — electricity
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. vault — a safe
  11. press — to push
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. press — newspapers
  15. wound — an injury
  16. current — happening now
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. charge — in control
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. current — of water
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. press — a publisher
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. charge — a price

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