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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: track · bear · bound · plane · rule · capital · cabinet · deal

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. capital — money
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bound — obliged
  6. rule — a law
  7. track — to keep track
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. deal — to handle
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. capital — a city
  19. track — a song
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. track — a path

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