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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 120 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: mark · charge · ball · row · fall · season · racket · nail

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — to paddle
  4. ball — a dance
  5. season — in sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — electricity
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fall — the season
  12. mark — a grade
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — a price
  19. season — of the year
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. charge — in control
  24. fall — to drop

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