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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
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: cell · leaves · foot · racket · drill · bark · land · charge

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. charge — in control
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — ground
  6. foot — a measure
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bark — to shout
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. drill — the tool
  15. cell — a phone
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. land — a country
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. charge — a price
  24. racket — a loud noise

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