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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: mark · hand · squash · pass · charge · drill · bass · mine

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — a practice
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pass — a permit
  8. squash — to crush
  9. charge — electricity
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bass — low music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. squash — the sport
  17. charge — in control
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hand — help
  22. mine — for digging
  23. charge — a price
  24. bass — the fish

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