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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.

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: ruler · bark · coach · charge · fine · stick · object · bass

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fine — all right
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. object — a thing
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bass — low music
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. object — an aim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. object — to protest

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