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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: rock · tube · charge · rule · band · fine · tear · calf

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. charge — a price
  3. rock — a stone
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. band — a music group
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — all right
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rule — a law
  14. charge — in control
  15. tear — to rip
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rock — music
  19. rule — government
  20. band — a ring
  21. charge — electricity
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tube — a container

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