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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 116 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: ball · charge · rash · mark · ruler · bat · fall · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rash — a series
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — a price
  6. bat — the animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. ball — a dance
  19. charge — in control
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. file — a document

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