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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. current — of water
  5. squash — the sport
  6. charge — in control
  7. kick — in football
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ball — a great time
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. current — happening now
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. squash — to crush
  19. current — electric
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ball — a dance
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mark — a trace
  24. charge — electricity

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