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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: racket · key · fine · charge · shower · wound · mug · court

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. key — in music
  5. charge — a price
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. court — for sport
  9. mug — a cup
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. court — of law
  12. charge — in control
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wound — an injury
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mug — a face
  19. fine — all right
  20. key — the most important part
  21. court — of a king
  22. charge — electricity
  23. key — for a lock
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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