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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: cue · rash · spell · ruler · roll · object · charge · wound

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cue — for pool
  3. charge — a price
  4. cue — a hint
  5. roll — a list
  6. cue — a signal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rash — hasty
  10. object — an aim
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. charge — in control
  13. object — a thing
  14. wound — an injury
  15. object — to protest
  16. spell — magic
  17. rash — a series
  18. spell — a short time
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spell — letters
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rash — on the skin

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