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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.

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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: charge · ground · kid · ruler · leaves · mug · fork · rock

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. kid — child
  3. ground — a position
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. charge — in control
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. mug — a face
  11. kid — to tease
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rock — music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. mug — to rob
  18. ground — the earth
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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