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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: fan · bay · fall · can · wake · object · jam · charge

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wake — a trail
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. can — a tin
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. can — a tin
  19. object — a thing
  20. can — to be able to
  21. charge — in control
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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