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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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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: ground · march · ruler · fork · wave · leaves · bank · charge

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bank — of a river
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. march — the month
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bank — for money
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bank — for money
  17. fork — in a road
  18. march — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. charge — in control
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. march — the month
  24. fork — to eat with

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