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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
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: drill · fan · mate · stick · fall · wake · season · charge

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. charge — a price
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mate — to breed
  11. charge — in control
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fall — the season
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. season — in sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mate — a friend
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. charge — electricity

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