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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.

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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: ball · charge · ground · bark · fine · bass · rest · face

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ground — the earth
  3. face — to confront
  4. charge — a price
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ball — a dance
  7. charge — in control
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ball — a great time
  12. face — to point toward
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rest — a break
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fine — all right
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bass — low music
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. ground — a position
  22. rest — what's left
  23. face — part of the head
  24. charge — electricity

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