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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 · ball · wound · plane · charge · shower · foot · arm

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. charge — electricity
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. shower — rain
  7. charge — in control
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. wound — an injury
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ball — a dance
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. charge — a price
  20. foot — a measure
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. ball — a great time
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. shower — to wash

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