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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: fine · wind · content · ruler · straw · cap · charge · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. charge — in control
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — a lid
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fine — high quality
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cap — a hat
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fine — all right
  15. cap — of ice
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. wind — moving air
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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