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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: charge · bat · scale · nail · ruler · game · foot · safe

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. scale — in music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. scale — size or range
  11. charge — in control
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bat — the animal
  14. game — wild animals
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. game — a match
  23. charge — electricity
  24. scale — for weighing

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