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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: fan · racket · charge · ball · mouse · chip · temple · wake

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — a trail
  16. ball — a dance
  17. charge — in control
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — for betting

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