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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 120 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: bark · mug · ruler · can · rash · pop · charge · season

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. charge — electricity
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bark — to shout
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. charge — a price
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. charge — in control
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. rash — a series
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. season — of the year
  18. rash — hasty
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. can — a tin
  21. pop — soda
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — in sport
  24. pop — music

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