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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: last · chip · rash · snap · bore · charge · can · bulb

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — in control
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rash — hasty
  11. last — final
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — a price
  16. last — finally
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rash — a series
  20. chip — to eat
  21. can — a tin
  22. chip — for betting
  23. last — to go on
  24. snap — to click

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