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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: saw · ruler · wound · land · charge · bank · deal · lean

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bank — for money
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. charge — in control
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. lean — to bend
  9. land — to come down
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lean — thin
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wound — an injury
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. saw — the tool
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. land — a country
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. land — ground
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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