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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. band — a music group
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. charge — a price
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rule — a law
  11. kick — in football
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. current — of water
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rule — government
  22. band — a ring
  23. charge — electricity
  24. rule — to rule out

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