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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: game · charge · straw · mouse · drill · can · mine · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. drill — army training
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. charge — in control
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. root — of a plant
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. charge — a price
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. game — a match
  21. charge — electricity
  22. root — of a word
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mouse — for a computer

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