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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. drill — a practice
  5. wake — a trail
  6. charge — a price
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. drill — army training
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — to trim
  13. drill — the tool
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hide — to keep secret

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