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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 · game · drill · object · stick · season · jam · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. game — a match
  3. object — to protest
  4. drill — army training
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. drill — a practice
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. charge — in control
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. charge — a price
  11. season — of the year
  12. game — wild animals
  13. season — in sport
  14. roll — a cake
  15. drill — the tool
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. charge — electricity
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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