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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: club · sharp · racket · march · cell · charge · ruler · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. charge — a price
  3. cell — a phone
  4. march — music
  5. net — in sport
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. cell — in biology
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. charge — electricity
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. sharp — clever
  16. club — a group
  17. march — the month
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. net — after costs
  21. club — for golf
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — in control
  24. cell — in a prison

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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