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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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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: wake · kid · press · wave · ball · present · charge · rock

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wake — a trail
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — there
  6. rock — a stone
  7. present — a gift
  8. rock — music
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. kid — to tease
  13. press — to push
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — newspapers
  19. charge — a price
  20. kid — child
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wave — with your hand

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