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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
468
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: drill · spell · game · bear · plane · charge · fine · rush

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fine — all right
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. drill — the tool
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — electricity
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. spell — magic
  16. charge — in control
  17. game — wild animals
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fine — high quality
  21. drill — army training
  22. game — a match
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rush — to hurry

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