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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
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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: charge · ball · cue · face · craft · bat · fork · pop

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. charge — in control
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pop — to visit
  6. face — to point toward
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. cue — a hint
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. fork — in a road

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