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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.

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: charge · can · mouse · rock · ruler · chest · squash · scale

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. scale — in music
  10. scale — size or range
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. chest — a box
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chest — of your body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — to be able to
  19. charge — in control
  20. rock — music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — a price
  23. rock — a stone
  24. can — a tin

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