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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.

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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: bowl · net · safe · deal · march · charge · bark · press

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. charge — electricity
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. charge — a price
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bark — to shout
  10. press — a publisher
  11. deal — to handle
  12. march — the month
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. march — the month
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. press — to push
  19. march — music
  20. net — after costs
  21. charge — in control
  22. net — in sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. net — for catching

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