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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: charge · rush · hand · net · squash · band · rock · court

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. net — for catching
  4. band — a ring
  5. squash — the sport
  6. rock — a stone
  7. charge — in control
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. court — of law
  11. band — a music group
  12. hand — in cards
  13. court — of a king
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. rock — music
  16. net — after costs
  17. court — for sport
  18. hand — help
  19. charge — a price
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. squash — the vegetable

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