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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
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: ball · rest · tube · pound · charge · season · wave · press

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. charge — in control
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. press — a publisher
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — in sport
  11. press — newspapers
  12. rest — a break
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. season — of the year
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. tube — the underground
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pound — a weight
  24. press — to push

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