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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: nail · bear · cue · charge · ruler · face · capital · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. face — to confront
  8. capital — a city
  9. bear — the animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — for pool
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. charge — in control
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bear — the animal
  21. capital — money
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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