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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: tube · wake · drill · mouse · present · charge · can · suit

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. can — a tin
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. drill — army training
  5. present — the time now
  6. can — to be able to
  7. tube — the underground
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. drill — a practice
  11. wake — a trail
  12. can — a tin
  13. tube — a container
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. present — there
  17. charge — in control
  18. drill — the tool
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. present — a gift
  23. charge — a price
  24. suit — clothes

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