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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: ground · charge · wind · club · rash · safe · calf · march

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. charge — electricity
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — the month
  8. ground — the earth
  9. march — music
  10. wind — moving air
  11. charge — in control
  12. club — for golf
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. march — the month
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. charge — a price
  20. club — for dancing
  21. wind — moving air
  22. club — a group
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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