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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: game · wake · face · current · ball · kick · charge · season

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. current — electric
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. current — of water
  6. kick — in football
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ball — a dance
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — in sport
  13. charge — in control
  14. face — to confront
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. game — a match
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. game — wild animals
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. face — part of the head
  21. charge — electricity
  22. current — happening now
  23. charge — a price
  24. kick — a thrill

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