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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: mine · suit · charge · hand · dip · cap · rash · ruler

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — help
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cap — a lid
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. cap — of ice
  9. charge — a price
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mine — for digging
  12. charge — in control
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — in cards
  16. dip — to sink
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cap — a hat
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. hand — in cards

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