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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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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 · kick · stand · charge · suit · present

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. charge — a price
  4. kick — in football
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rule — a law
  7. charge — in control
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. present — there
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. suit — to fit
  13. present — the time now
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. present — a gift
  17. rule — government
  18. suit — clothes

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