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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: ball · stem · ruler · sharp · land · stick · saw · charge

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — ground
  3. ball — a great time
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. sharp — clever
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. charge — in control
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stem — to come from
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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