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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: rest · rock · kid · bark · current · ball · charge · toast

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rest — what's left
  4. toast — bread
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. charge — in control
  11. rest — a break
  12. charge — a price
  13. current — of water
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bark — to shout
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rock — music
  20. kid — to tease
  21. current — happening now
  22. rest — what's left
  23. current — electric
  24. kid — child

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