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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: saw · deal · rule · current · charge · bound · bass · staff

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. staff — employees
  5. bass — low music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. charge — a price
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. staff — a stick
  11. current — of water
  12. bound — certain
  13. rule — a law
  14. current — happening now
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — tied together
  19. staff — employees
  20. charge — in control
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bass — the fish
  23. current — electric
  24. saw — the tool

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