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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: game · stand · charge · mug · cap · drill · object · wax

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. drill — a practice
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — in control
  5. object — to protest
  6. cap — a hat
  7. game — wild animals
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cap — a lid
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cap — of ice
  17. charge — a price
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. mug — a face
  21. object — an aim
  22. drill — army training
  23. charge — electricity
  24. drill — the tool

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