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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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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: ruler · racket · rest · mate · charge · bank · rock · wax

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rock — music
  5. rest — a break
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rest — what's left
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. bank — for money
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bank — for money
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. mate — to breed
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. ruler — for measuring

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