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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: cell · ruler · charge · kid · nail · pop

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pop — soda
  4. charge — a price
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. cell — in biology
  7. charge — in control
  8. kid — to tease
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — music
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cell — a phone
  16. kid — child
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pop — to visit

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