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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: suit · can · charge · track · bore · ball · rest · kid

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. charge — in control
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ball — a dance
  6. can — a tin
  7. bore — to drill
  8. kid — child
  9. suit — clothes
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. ball — a great time
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. rest — what's left
  16. kid — to tease
  17. can — to be able to
  18. track — a path
  19. rest — a break
  20. suit — in cards
  21. track — a song
  22. track — to keep track
  23. charge — a price
  24. suit — to fit

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