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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 · present · fan · wake · safe · nail · rest · toast

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. present — a gift
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. charge — a price
  6. rest — what's left
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. charge — electricity
  9. present — the time now
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. present — there
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. toast — bread
  22. charge — in control
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. wake — a trail

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