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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · wound · rush · can · ruler · bass · craft · charge

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. wound — an injury
  3. can — a tin
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bass — low music
  6. game — a match
  7. charge — in control
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rush — hurry
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wound — an injury
  12. craft — boats
  13. charge — a price
  14. craft — a skill
  15. can — a tin
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. game — wild animals
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bass — the instrument

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