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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.

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: cap · cue · hide · racket · ground · charge · rash · bark

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cue — a hint
  4. charge — in control
  5. cue — for pool
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. ground — a position
  11. charge — a price
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cap — of ice
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rash — hasty
  20. cap — a hat
  21. rash — a series
  22. ground — the earth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cue — a signal

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