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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: charge · deal · bound · current · swing · ruler · wake · file

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bound — tied together
  4. file — a document
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. file — a tool
  7. current — happening now
  8. deal — to handle
  9. current — of water
  10. bound — obliged
  11. swing — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bound — certain
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — electric
  24. swing — in golf

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