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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: mark · ruler · racket · charge · chair · mouse · pound · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. charge — in control
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — a price
  11. pound — a weight
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. row — a line
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chair — a leader
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. racket — for tennis

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