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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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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 · charge · kick · cue · roll · ground · pit · mouse

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pit — a hole
  4. charge — electricity
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. roll — a list
  7. kick — in football
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. charge — in control
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. charge — a price
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  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