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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
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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: wind · charge · rash · bore · tube · content · cabinet · firm

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bore — to drill
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. charge — a price
  6. firm — a company
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rash — hasty
  12. charge — in control
  13. tube — a container
  14. content — happy
  15. wind — moving air
  16. tube — the underground
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rash — a series
  19. firm — steady
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. firm — decided

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