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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · fan · drill · ball · present · charge · prune · bass

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. charge — in control
  3. bass — the fish
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. drill — the tool
  7. present — there
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. last — finally
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. prune — to trim
  14. drill — army training
  15. bass — low music
  16. last — to go on
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. last — final
  24. prune — the fruit

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