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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.

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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.

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: rush · leaves · charge · mug · ruler · bear · content · club

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. charge — a price
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. club — for dancing
  6. charge — in control
  7. club — for golf
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. mug — to rob
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. club — a group
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mug — a face
  20. content — the amount
  21. content — happy
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ruler — for measuring

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