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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: rest · ruler · staff · charge · kid · pitch

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rest — a break
  3. pitch — completely
  4. charge — a price
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. charge — in control
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. kid — child
  12. rest — what's left
  13. kid — to tease
  14. rest — what's left
  15. staff — employees
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. charge — electricity
  18. staff — a stick

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