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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: fork · drill · object · wax · rock · tube · can · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. drill — the tool
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. object — to protest
  9. drill — a practice
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. object — an aim
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. can — a tin
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. drill — army training
  19. tube — the underground
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. object — a thing
  23. can — a tin
  24. fork — to eat with

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