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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: wound · charge · rock · mark · wake · ball · kid · drill

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mark — a grade
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. charge — in control
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wound — an injury
  13. drill — army training
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. drill — the tool
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — child
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — music
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wake — a trail

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