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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: charge · wind · rash · fall · object · racket · bay · ball

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wind — moving air
  4. ball — a great time
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a dance
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. object — to protest
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — hasty
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — a price
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. fall — the season
  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