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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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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: rule · swing · stand · march · charge · ruler · lash · mark

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. march — the month
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stand — to bear
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — electricity
  8. march — the month
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — in golf
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. rule — a law
  21. swing — to play on
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. march — music
  24. charge — a price

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