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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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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. rush — hurry
  8. tear — from crying
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. charge — electricity
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. club — a group
  16. charge — a price
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. tube — the underground
  20. shower — rain
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. tube — a container

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