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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: track · shower · roll · charge · rule · lean · fan · ruler

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. charge — a price
  5. rule — a law
  6. lean — thin
  7. track — a path
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — rain
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — a song
  17. roll — a list
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — to bend
  20. roll — a cake
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  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