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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · charge · band · temple · spring · bulb · rule · craft

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. spring — of water
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. content — the amount
  10. craft — a skill
  11. band — a ring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bulb — for light
  14. spring — the season
  15. rule — government
  16. charge — a price
  17. rule — a law
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. charge — in control
  20. content — happy
  21. charge — electricity
  22. band — a music group
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — to rule out

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