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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: temple · charge · pitch · fan · spring · foot · ball · racket

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. charge — in control
  7. spring — of water
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. charge — a price
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. ball — a dance
  15. foot — a measure
  16. pitch — completely
  17. spring — the season
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. spring — a coil
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. charge — electricity

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