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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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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: charge · march · press · stand · bulb · rule · wax · bound

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wax — to grow
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rule — government
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rule — a law
  10. stand — to bear
  11. charge — in control
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. march — the month
  15. press — to push
  16. press — newspapers
  17. march — music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bound — certain
  21. bulb — for light
  22. charge — a price
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. march — the month

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