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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: band · wave · ruler · rock · game · charge · stem · present

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rock — music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. present — the time now
  12. charge — in control
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. charge — a price
  17. game — a match
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. band — a ring
  22. stem — to come from
  23. rock — a stone
  24. band — a music group

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