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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.

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: file · pound · pitcher · ruler · fall · swing · charge · stock

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — music
  4. pound — a weight
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fall — the season
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. charge — in control
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. charge — electricity
  18. file — a tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. file — a document
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stock — goods
  23. swing — in golf
  24. stock — shares

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