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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: fine · charge · wave · ruler · mine · sharp · game · cell

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. game — wild animals
  5. sharp — clever
  6. charge — a price
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. fine — all right
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — for digging
  18. fine — high quality
  19. charge — electricity
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. charge — in control
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. cell — a phone

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