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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: drill · roll · pop · rash · tube · charge · present · bay

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rash — a series
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. tube — a container
  8. pop — soda
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. charge — a price
  13. tube — the underground
  14. charge — in control
  15. drill — army training
  16. charge — electricity
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rash — hasty
  19. present — there
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pop — to visit
  22. drill — the tool
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pop — music

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