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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: band · row · racket · lean · charge · ground · key · foot

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. foot — a measure
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. row — to paddle
  11. ground — a position
  12. lean — thin
  13. key — the most important part
  14. charge — a price
  15. band — a ring
  16. key — in music
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ground — the earth
  19. charge — in control
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. lean — to bend
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. charge — electricity

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