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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: mouse · rash · charge · pit · row · drill · present · roll

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pit — a hole
  3. charge — in control
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. charge — electricity
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. roll — a cake
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. roll — a list
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. charge — a price
  14. row — a line
  15. drill — a practice
  16. present — there
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pit — in a race
  23. drill — army training
  24. present — the time now

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