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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ground · charge · wake · scale · racket · rush · nail · sharp

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. scale — size or range
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rush — hurry
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ground — crushed
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. scale — in music
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. charge — a price
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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