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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: pass · rule · capital · perch · charge · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — in control
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rule — a law
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rule — government
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. capital — money
  16. perch — the fish
  17. capital — a city
  18. pass — a permit

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