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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: charge · pop · face · mug · racket · object · wake · row

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — in control
  5. pop — music
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. charge — electricity
  12. face — part of the head
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. face — to confront
  15. object — to protest
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wake — a trail
  20. charge — a price
  21. pop — soda
  22. row — to paddle
  23. object — an aim
  24. pop — to visit

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