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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wind · ruler · charge · mouse · board · craft

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. craft — boats
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — a committee
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. board — to get on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. charge — in control
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. ruler — a monarch

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