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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: content · tube · foot · charge · mine · wave · fine · suit

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. content — the amount
  3. mine — for digging
  4. charge — in control
  5. foot — a measure
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fine — high quality
  13. tube — a container
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. content — happy
  16. suit — clothes
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. fine — all right
  23. charge — a price
  24. suit — in cards

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