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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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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: stock · chip · sharp · ruler · suit · charge · rule · branch

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. chip — for betting
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. sharp — clever
  9. charge — a price
  10. suit — to fit
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. chip — to eat
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rule — a law
  18. charge — in control
  19. stock — goods
  20. rule — government
  21. stock — shares
  22. charge — electricity
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. branch — of a bank

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