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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: key · wind · pit · charge · rush · mark · roll · ball

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rush — hurry
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — a price
  11. mark — a grade
  12. charge — in control
  13. key — in music
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mark — a trace
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wind — moving air
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rush — to hurry
  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