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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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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: pound · content · band · rule · charge · plane

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rule — a law
  4. charge — electricity
  5. content — the amount
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. pound — a weight
  9. charge — in control
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. content — happy
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. band — a music group
  14. plane — a tool
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. charge — a price
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rule — government

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