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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.

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: mine · hide · rush · object · charge · march · wound · racket

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. object — an aim
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mine — for digging
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. march — the month
  14. wound — an injury
  15. object — a thing
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. object — to protest
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. mine — belonging to me

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