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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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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: saw · scale · trunk · lie · rush · charge · ruler · date

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. date — the fruit
  8. scale — in music
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. charge — electricity
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. scale — size or range
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. lie — to recline
  20. charge — a price
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — hurry

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