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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: cabinet · drill · land · charge · plane · game · race · bore

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. land — ground
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bore — to drill
  5. land — to come down
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. charge — in control
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. game — a match
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — the tool
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bore — to tire
  17. land — a country
  18. charge — a price
  19. race — humankind
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. race — a contest
  22. plane — a tool
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. race — the arms race

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