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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 · cap · band · mate · row · safe · mug · roll

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mate — a partner
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mug — a cup
  7. row — a line
  8. charge — a price
  9. band — a music group
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mug — a face
  12. mate — a friend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. charge — in control
  16. cap — a hat
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — of ice
  19. mate — to breed
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. band — a ring
  24. cap — a lid

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