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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: rest · charge · drill · rush · can · chair · season · bound

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. drill — the tool
  3. charge — in control
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. can — a tin
  6. rush — hurry
  7. season — of the year
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rest — what's left
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. drill — army training
  17. charge — electricity
  18. chair — a leader
  19. charge — a price
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. rest — a break
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bound — certain
  24. rest — what's left

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