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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 120 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: shower · squash · ruler · pass · charge · snap · last · present

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pass — a permit
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. present — a gift
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. squash — to crush
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. charge — in control
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. present — the time now
  14. charge — a price
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. last — to go on
  17. present — there
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. snap — to click
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. last — finally
  24. last — final

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