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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · charge · wave · current · tube · ruler · march · ground

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. charge — electricity
  5. current — of water
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. tube — a container
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — a price
  11. tube — the underground
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ground — crushed
  17. current — happening now
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. current — electric
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. charge — in control

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