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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.

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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: charge · saw · bowl · cue · rest · rock · face · present

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. present — the time now
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rest — a break
  7. charge — a price
  8. present — a gift
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. face — part of the head
  11. rest — what's left
  12. charge — in control
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rest — what's left
  18. charge — electricity
  19. rock — music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cue — a signal
  22. present — there
  23. face — to confront
  24. rock — to move gently

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