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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: toast · mouse · bulb · charge · wake · tube · last · sharp

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wake — a trail
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. charge — a price
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. toast — bread
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. tube — a container
  20. last — to go on
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. tube — the underground
  24. last — finally

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