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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. club — a group
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mug — a cup
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bore — to drill
  8. staff — employees
  9. club — for golf
  10. bore — to tire
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. wake — a trail
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. charge — a price
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mug — a face
  20. snap — to click
  21. mug — to rob
  22. charge — in control
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. staff — employees

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