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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: bore · charge · fall · mate · mouse · last · bass · key

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bass — low music
  4. mate — to breed
  5. key — in music
  6. key — the most important part
  7. fall — the season
  8. bore — to drill
  9. charge — in control
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — to tire
  17. last — finally
  18. charge — electricity
  19. last — final
  20. last — to go on
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fall — to drop
  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