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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 120 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: mouse · fork · lie · craft · charge · suit · ruler · club

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. suit — to fit
  5. club — for golf
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. club — a group
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lie — to recline
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. craft — a skill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fork — in a road
  22. craft — boats
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. suit — in cards

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