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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
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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: fine · charge · rush · last · chip · scale · ball · mark

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a great time
  4. scale — size or range
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. last — to go on
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. charge — in control
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chip — for betting
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. chip — to eat

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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