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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
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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: drill · rush · stick · bass · charge · game · spring · pop

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. spring — the season
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pop — music
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bass — low music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. drill — army training
  10. game — wild animals
  11. spring — of water
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bass — the fish
  16. spring — a coil
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pop — to visit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. drill — a practice
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. pop — soda

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