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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.

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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 · current · rest · fine · last · squash · rule · tube

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. tube — a container
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. last — final
  5. fine — high quality
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tube — the underground
  8. last — finally
  9. rest — what's left
  10. current — happening now
  11. charge — in control
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rule — government
  14. current — of water
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. current — electric
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rule — a law
  19. rest — what's left
  20. charge — a price
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. last — to go on
  23. fine — all right
  24. squash — the sport

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