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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 116 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: cabinet · board · drill · charge · straw · last · pop · current

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. current — happening now
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. drill — the tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. pop — to visit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. last — to go on
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pop — soda
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — music
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. last — final
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. drill — army training

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