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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: wake · mug · fine · rule · rash · toast · pop · charge

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. toast — bread
  6. rule — government
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rule — a law
  12. fine — all right
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pop — soda
  20. charge — in control
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pop — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. mug — a face

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