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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: charge · bank · ruler · can · bat · wave · straw · bass

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bat — the animal
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bank — of a river
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. charge — electricity
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bank — for money
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bank — for money
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. charge — in control
  18. bass — low music
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. charge — a price
  23. bass — the fish
  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