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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: board · charge · file · squash · drill · bulb · mark · bowl

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. charge — a price
  7. drill — a practice
  8. board — a committee
  9. mark — a grade
  10. file — a document
  11. squash — the sport
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mark — a trace
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. charge — in control
  17. drill — army training
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. drill — the tool
  20. board — to get on
  21. bulb — for light
  22. charge — electricity
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bowl — a football final

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