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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 120 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: cell · charge · bowl · tube · coach · current · craft · mouse

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. craft — boats
  3. charge — in control
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cell — a phone
  11. charge — a price
  12. current — electric
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. tube — a container
  15. cell — in biology
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. craft — a skill
  19. tube — the underground
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. current — of water
  22. charge — electricity
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. current — happening now

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