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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: charge · mouse · bore · fork · rash · game · race · roll

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. race — the arms race
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fork — in a road
  5. rash — hasty
  6. charge — a price
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. charge — electricity
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. race — a contest
  14. game — a match
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. roll — a list
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. race — humankind
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — in control
  23. rash — a series
  24. roll — a cake

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