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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 116 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: present · object · charge · race · ruler · pit · file · land

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. land — a country
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. file — a tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. race — humankind
  7. race — a contest
  8. file — a line of people
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. present — there
  11. object — an aim
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. object — to protest
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. charge — a price
  20. file — a document
  21. charge — in control
  22. land — ground
  23. race — the arms race
  24. land — to come down

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