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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.

Make a worksheet

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: racket · kick · charge · rock · scale · bulb · face · coach

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. charge — in control
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. kick — in football
  5. scale — in music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. charge — a price
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. face — to confront
  12. rock — music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rock — a stone
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bulb — for light
  18. charge — electricity
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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