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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: ball · charge · rule · scale · mate · squash · rush · bore

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rule — government
  6. ball — a dance
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mate — a partner
  9. rule — a law
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — a price
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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