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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: charge · last · chip · can · fan · bore · mine · cabinet

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. charge — electricity
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mine — for digging
  14. last — to go on
  15. charge — a price
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — a tin
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. last — finally
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. last — final

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