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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 120 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: trunk · charge · bay · rule · clip · pass · suit · plane

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. suit — clothes
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rule — a law
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — a tool
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. clip — for paper
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. clip — a video
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. clip — to cut

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