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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 120 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 · cabinet · band · charge · pop · cap · board · fan

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. board — to get on
  5. band — a ring
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cap — a hat
  8. band — a music group
  9. rule — government
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — in control
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pop — soda
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pop — music

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