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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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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: kick · ruler · clip · suit · racket · charge

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. suit — to fit
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. clip — a video
  7. clip — for paper
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. clip — to cut
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. suit — clothes
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — a price
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. suit — in cards

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