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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: cap · tube · charge · cue · board · snap · plane · rule

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. rule — a law
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cue — a hint
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — in control
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rule — government
  15. board — to get on
  16. tube — a container
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. charge — a price
  23. cue — for pool
  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