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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: present · ground · charge · racket · ball · mug · firm · land

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. land — a country
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. land — to come down
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a dance
  8. firm — a company
  9. ball — a great time
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. charge — electricity
  20. present — the time now
  21. charge — a price
  22. land — ground
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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