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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 120 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: kick · shower · mark · saw · fork · charge · ball · chip

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. charge — a price
  3. kick — in football
  4. mark — a grade
  5. saw — the tool
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — rain
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chip — for betting
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mark — a trace
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. shower — to wash
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fork — in a road
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. charge — in control

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