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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: charge · ruler · bank · deal · hand · arm · stick · shower

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bank — of a river
  3. hand — help
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bank — for money
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — in cards
  13. charge — in control
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. charge — a price
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. deal — to handle
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bank — for money
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. charge — electricity

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