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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.

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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: mate · stick · charge · ruler · ground · pass · fine · mine

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ground — the earth
  8. mate — to breed
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ground — a position
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fine — all right
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mate — a partner
  17. charge — a price
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. charge — in control
  24. ruler — a monarch

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