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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.

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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: row · bank · foot · bore · ball · face · ground · charge

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. charge — in control
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bank — for money
  7. bore — to tire
  8. face — part of the head
  9. ball — a great time
  10. foot — a measure
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ground — a position
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — to point toward
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bank — of a river
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. charge — a price
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bank — for money

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