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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: bowl · wave · firm · rash · mine · mark · sharp · charge

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rash — a series
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. firm — decided
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. firm — a company
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rash — hasty
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mark — a grade
  22. firm — steady
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. sharp — clever

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