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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: bound · fall · pass · rule · content · stand · charge · plane

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. charge — in control
  3. pass — a permit
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fall — to drop
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. charge — a price
  24. plane — in geometry

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