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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: net · suit · charge · wake · toast · bank · drill · rash

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. bank — for money
  2. charge — in control
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. suit — clothes
  6. toast — bread
  7. rash — a series
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bank — for money
  12. rash — hasty
  13. net — after costs
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. drill — the tool
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. charge — a price
  18. suit — to fit
  19. drill — army training
  20. net — in sport
  21. wake — a trail
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. net — for catching
  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