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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 · tube · toast · pop · charge · ball · wax · saw

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — to visit
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. ball — a dance
  6. charge — electricity
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tube — a container
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pop — music
  11. charge — a price
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bore — to tire
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pop — soda
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wax — to grow
  21. tube — the underground
  22. toast — bread
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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