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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.

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: row · stick · foot · season · ball · rule · rash · charge

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. rule — government
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ball — a great time
  7. charge — in control
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. charge — a price
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. season — of the year
  15. rash — hasty
  16. season — in sport
  17. row — to paddle
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ball — a dance
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rule — a law
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. row — a line
  24. foot — a measure

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