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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: scale · track · bore · sharp · ball · charge · wave · rush

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. track — a song
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bore — to drill
  10. sharp — clever
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. ball — a dance
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — a price
  16. scale — size or range
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. track — a path
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rush — hurry
  24. scale — in music

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