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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: race · plane · foot · sharp · swing · ruler · bear · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. charge — a price
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. charge — electricity
  6. sharp — clever
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. race — a contest
  9. foot — a measure
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — the animal
  13. swing — in golf
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. swing — music
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bear — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bear — to put up with

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