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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.

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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: snap · rest · kick · rash · pit · ball · charge · wound

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rash — hasty
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wound — an injury
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. snap — to click
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — in a race
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a dance
  15. kick — in football
  16. rash — a series
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rest — a break
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. charge — a price

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