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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · spell · tube · charge · rash · leaves · mate · swing

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. swing — music
  9. mate — a partner
  10. swing — to play on
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. swing — in golf
  15. charge — in control
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. mate — a friend
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rash — a series
  23. tube — a container
  24. spell — a short time

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