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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 116 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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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: stem · race · rule · wake · pound · charge · drill · coach

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stem — to come from
  7. race — a contest
  8. drill — a practice
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — in control
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rule — a law
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. drill — the tool
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rule — government

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