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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 120 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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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: fall · charge · object · chest · racket · ball · bear · stick

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fall — the season
  6. ball — a great time
  7. object — a thing
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. chest — a box
  11. charge — a price
  12. chest — of your body
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. charge — in control
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. chest — of your body
  21. ball — a dance
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bear — the animal

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