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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: ball · charge · rock · snap · shower · club · press · pit

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. press — a publisher
  3. ball — a great time
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. shower — rain
  10. rock — a stone
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ball — a dance
  14. club — for golf
  15. shower — to wash
  16. charge — a price
  17. press — to push
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rock — music
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. club — a group
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. charge — in control
  24. pit — in a race

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