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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · content · mug · drill · saw · stick · bark · leaves

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. saw — the tool
  14. drill — the tool
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. content — the amount
  19. charge — in control
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. content — happy
  24. bark — to shout

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