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

Word bank: wake · deal · charge · rock · wind · ruler

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. charge — in control
  4. rock — a stone
  5. wind — moving air
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. charge — a price
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. charge — electricity
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — to handle

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