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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: current · mine · ground · fan · rash · board · charge · mark

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ground — the earth
  3. current — electric
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. charge — a price
  7. current — happening now
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. board — a committee
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mine — for digging
  15. ground — a position
  16. board — to get on
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. rash — a series
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. current — of water
  24. charge — in control

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