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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: band · rush · sharp · prune · ruler · charge · game · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. prune — to trim
  6. charge — a price
  7. mark — a grade
  8. charge — in control
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. charge — electricity
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. band — a music group
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. band — a ring

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