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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · can · wound · club · kick · ruler · craft · game

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. can — a tin
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. can — to be able to
  8. craft — boats
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — in control
  12. club — for golf
  13. game — a match
  14. charge — a price
  15. wound — an injury
  16. club — for dancing
  17. wound — an injury
  18. craft — a skill
  19. game — wild animals
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. club — a group
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. can — a tin
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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