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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: rule · charge · bank · board · firm · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. board — a committee
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — a law
  6. bank — for money
  7. march — the month
  8. firm — decided
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bank — for money
  11. charge — a price
  12. bank — of a river
  13. charge — in control
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. board — to get on
  16. firm — a company
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. march — the month

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