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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: rest · wake · can · bore · date · charge · lie · pop

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. lie — to recline
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — in control
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bore — to tire
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — a trail
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pop — soda
  16. rest — a break
  17. pop — to visit
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bore — to drill
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pop — music
  23. date — the fruit
  24. charge — a price

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