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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 120 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: current · charge · field · pass · drill · race · leaves · temple

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. race — humankind
  4. charge — a price
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. drill — army training
  7. charge — in control
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. field — a subject
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — of water
  12. field — farmland
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — a contest
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. drill — a practice
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. current — electric
  21. drill — the tool
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. current — happening 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