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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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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 · foot · bowl · present · race · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. present — there
  4. race — a contest
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. present — the time now
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. race — the arms race
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. present — a gift
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bear — the animal
  16. race — humankind
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. foot — the bottom

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