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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: rush · fine · content · sharp · chip · shower · bore · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — electricity
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. sharp — clever
  11. fine — all right
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bore — to drill
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. charge — a price
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. content — the amount
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. chip — to eat
  23. shower — rain
  24. chip — in a computer

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