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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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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: calf · racket · roll · hand · nail · rash · charge · rock

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. hand — in cards
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. charge — in control
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. hand — help
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. roll — a cake
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rash — a series
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rash — hasty
  24. nail — for a hammer

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