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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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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: mate · charge · bulb · degree · stand · capital · deal · rule

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bulb — for light
  4. charge — electricity
  5. degree — from a university
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mate — a friend
  13. capital — a city
  14. charge — a price
  15. rule — a law
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. charge — in control
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. degree — an amount
  23. degree — temperature
  24. capital — money

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