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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
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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: game · plane · current · can · drill · ground · cue · charge

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. cue — a signal
  3. current — electric
  4. charge — a price
  5. plane — a tool
  6. current — of water
  7. drill — the tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. drill — a practice
  10. charge — electricity
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ground — the earth
  13. game — a match
  14. charge — in control
  15. cue — for pool
  16. can — a tin
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ground — a position
  19. current — happening now
  20. ground — crushed
  21. can — a tin
  22. game — wild animals
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. drill — army training

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