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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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468
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 · track · lie

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

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

Answer key

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

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