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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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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. last — to go on
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. shower — to wash
  9. last — final
  10. shower — rain
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. toast — bread
  15. rash — a series
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. last — finally
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rash — hasty
  24. nail — for a hammer

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