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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: pitcher · foot · racket · fine · lash · rash · charge · net

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rash — a series
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. foot — a measure
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rash — hasty
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. net — for catching
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fine — all right
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. charge — in control
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. lash — to lash out

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