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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: pit · charge · safe · cabinet · band · rule · wake · plane

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. pit — a hole
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. charge — in control
  9. rule — government
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. charge — a price
  12. wake — a trail
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. rule — a law
  17. pit — in a race
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. safe — a strongbox

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