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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.

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: bound · charge · plane · stem · bat · tube · stick · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. rule — a law
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rule — government
  7. bat — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. charge — a price
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bound — certain
  17. tube — the underground
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stem — to come from
  20. charge — in control
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — a container
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bat — in an idiom

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