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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · net · charge · safe · press · fan · bark · hand

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. net — for catching
  5. squash — the sport
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. net — after costs
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — to crush
  10. hand — help
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. press — a publisher
  16. press — to push
  17. hand — in cards
  18. press — newspapers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. net — in sport
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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