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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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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 · mark · squash · cap · craft · racket · charge · face

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. face — to point toward
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. face — to confront
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cap — a hat
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. cap — a lid
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — a price
  11. mark — a trace
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a dance
  15. craft — a skill
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mark — a grade
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ball — a great time
  20. face — part of the head
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. craft — a handicraft

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