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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: file · charge · ruler · face · nail · root · chip · last

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. root — of a plant
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. last — final
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. root — the cause
  8. face — to point toward
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. last — to go on
  11. face — part of the head
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. face — to confront
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. root — of a word
  20. file — a document
  21. charge — electricity
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. last — finally
  24. chip — for betting

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