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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
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: bat · wind · dip · charge · root · mug · ruler · suit

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. charge — in control
  6. mug — a cup
  7. suit — clothes
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — of a word
  10. mug — a face
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bat — the animal
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. suit — in cards
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. mug — to rob
  19. charge — a price
  20. dip — to sink
  21. wind — moving air
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. root — the cause
  24. ruler — a monarch

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