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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: charge · suit · band · pound · fan · bowl · sharp · current

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. current — of water
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. current — happening now
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. charge — in control
  10. suit — in cards
  11. band — a music group
  12. current — electric
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. band — a ring
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. sharp — clever
  24. suit — to fit

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