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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: charge · nail · stand · bore · straw · drill · wake · bank

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bank — for money
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. drill — the tool
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bank — of a river
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bore — to drill
  17. charge — a price
  18. stand — to bear
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bore — to tire
  21. drill — army training
  22. charge — in control
  23. bank — for money
  24. nail — for a hammer

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