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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · straw · drill · kick · hide · band · charge · fan

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. drill — a practice
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. can — a tin
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — army training
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. can — to be able to
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. band — a ring
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. band — a music group
  24. drill — the tool

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