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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: fall · deal · sharp · perch · pop · pass · charge · bore

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — soda
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fall — the season
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pop — to visit
  10. charge — a price
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pop — music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bore — to drill
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fall — to drop
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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