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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 116 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: fall · ball · leaves · bank · ruler · face · present · charge

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bank — of a river
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. charge — electricity
  7. face — part of the head
  8. fall — to drop
  9. charge — in control
  10. present — there
  11. charge — a price
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fall — to drop
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fall — the season
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bank — for money
  18. present — the time now
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bank — for money
  23. face — to confront
  24. ruler — for measuring

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