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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pound — a weight
  5. drill — a practice
  6. game — wild animals
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. game — a match
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. spring — the season
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spring — a coil
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. spring — of water
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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