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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: arm · band · stock · ruler · rush · mine · mouse · charge

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. band — a ring
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stock — shares
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — electricity
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stock — goods
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. charge — a price
  17. band — a music group
  18. charge — in control
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ruler — a monarch

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