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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.

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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 · cold · charge · key · pop · nail · dip · drill

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pop — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. drill — a practice
  6. pop — soda
  7. wake — a trail
  8. charge — electricity
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. key — for a lock
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. key — in music
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — an illness
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cold — not warm
  18. charge — a price
  19. dip — to sink
  20. drill — army training
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. key — the most important part
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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