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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: charge · prune · cap · lie · current · fork · ruler · object

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. current — happening now
  3. cap — of ice
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fork — in a road
  7. object — to protest
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. object — an aim
  15. cap — a hat
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. charge — a price
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. object — a thing
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. prune — to trim
  23. charge — in control
  24. lie — an untruth

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