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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: bulb · ground · mine · charge · board · rule · bay · mate

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. charge — electricity
  3. mate — a friend
  4. charge — a price
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. board — a committee
  13. rule — a law
  14. board — to get on
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — in control
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rule — government
  24. ground — the earth

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