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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: roll · kick · racket · shower · ground · safe · charge · band

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. charge — a price
  3. kick — in football
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. ground — crushed
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. roll — a list
  9. ground — a position
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. charge — electricity
  12. shower — rain
  13. band — a ring
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a music group
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. charge — in control
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. shower — to wash
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. roll — a cake

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