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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: ruler · pound · cell · deal · charge · board

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — a price
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. board — a committee
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — in control
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pound — a weight
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. board — to get on
  18. cell — in biology

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