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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: snap · racket · game · charge · coach · foot · ball · rock

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. ball — a dance
  3. game — wild animals
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rock — music
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. charge — a price
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. game — a match
  24. rock — a stone

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