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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: saw · mouse · mine · race · charge · rock · press · fine

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. race — a contest
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. charge — a price
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — the arms race
  18. press — a publisher
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. press — newspapers
  23. charge — in control
  24. press — to push

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