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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 120 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: last · swing · can · ruler · pop · chip · rule · charge

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — a price
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pop — music
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. last — to go on
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pop — soda
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — in golf
  16. last — final
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rule — government
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — a tin
  21. swing — music
  22. last — finally
  23. charge — electricity
  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