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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
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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: dip · ball · rash · game · calf · charge · bulb · drill

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. game — a match
  3. charge — electricity
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rash — a series
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bulb — for light
  10. charge — a price
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a great time
  13. charge — in control
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. drill — the tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rash — hasty
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. game — wild animals

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