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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 116 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: file · deal · pitcher · rule · tear · charge · pass · capital

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. tear — from crying
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. rule — a law
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pass — a permit
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. capital — money
  15. file — a document
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rule — government
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. charge — in control
  21. file — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. capital — a city

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