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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: band · fork · bowl · content · charge · net · foot · bass

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. charge — in control
  9. band — a ring
  10. net — after costs
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. charge — electricity
  14. content — happy
  15. net — in sport
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. net — for catching
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. content — the amount
  24. band — a music group

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