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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: chair · foot · charge · march · mark · bowl · fine · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mark — a trace
  10. fine — all right
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. tube — the underground
  19. foot — a measure
  20. march — the month
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fine — high quality
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. mark — to pay attention

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