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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: roll · safe · tear · bore · toast · file · charge · wave

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. toast — bread
  3. charge — in control
  4. tear — from crying
  5. charge — a price
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. file — a document
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. file — a tool
  13. bore — to tire
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. file — a line of people
  16. roll — a cake
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. tear — to rip
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bore — to drill
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — on a roll

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