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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.

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: can · stand · tube · current · bay · rule · fall · charge

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rule — a law
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. charge — in control
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. current — happening now
  10. charge — a price
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. rule — government
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fall — to drop
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. fall — to drop
  18. can — a tin
  19. current — of water
  20. fall — the season
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. current — electric
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — on your feet

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