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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bass — low music
  3. charge — a price
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. file — a document
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. file — a tool
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. charge — in control
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lean — to rest against

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