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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · bass · face · present · object · charge · game · chair

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — a thing
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bass — the fish
  8. charge — electricity
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — there
  12. object — an aim
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. game — wild animals
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. object — to protest
  17. face — part of the head
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. face — to confront
  21. present — a gift
  22. game — a match
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. present — the time now

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