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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: spring · lean · ruler · plane · current · charge · file · rash

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. file — a document
  4. charge — in control
  5. current — happening now
  6. file — a tool
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. spring — a coil
  9. plane — a tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. current — electric
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spring — of water
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. current — of water
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. charge — a price
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. spring — the season
  24. rash — a series

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