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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: mouse · drill · hand · bulb · mark · charge · game · rest

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rest — what's left
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. drill — army training
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rest — a break
  14. game — a match
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rest — what's left
  18. game — wild animals
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hand — in cards
  22. charge — electricity
  23. hand — help
  24. bulb — of a plant

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