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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.

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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: board · hand · suit · charge · tube · bear · rule · last

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. last — final
  3. hand — in cards
  4. last — finally
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. suit — clothes
  10. last — to go on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — in control
  13. suit — in cards
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — a committee
  19. tube — a container
  20. rule — government
  21. suit — to fit
  22. hand — help
  23. board — to get on
  24. charge — a price

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