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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: lash · file · charge · tube · roll · toast · ball · current

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. current — electric
  4. file — a tool
  5. current — happening now
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. charge — a price
  8. file — a line of people
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. current — of water
  11. ball — a great time
  12. charge — in control
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. roll — a list
  17. ball — a dance
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. tube — the underground
  21. file — a document
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. charge — electricity
  24. toast — the most admired

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