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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
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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: charge · rush · sharp · bat · toast · mark · mug · fan

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — to rob
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mug — a face
  7. toast — bread
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. sharp — clever
  23. charge — a price
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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