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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: ruler · spell · calf · saw · bark · wind · wave · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. spell — magic
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bark — to shout
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — moving air
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — in control

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