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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: charge · bowl · toast · kick · can · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a music group
  3. can — to be able to
  4. kick — in football
  5. charge — a price
  6. toast — bread
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity

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