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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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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: content · band · board · stick · charge · pass · craft · rule

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. craft — a skill
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. charge — electricity
  7. board — a committee
  8. band — a music group
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rule — a law
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rule — government
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. charge — in control
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. pass — a permit
  20. charge — a price
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. board — to get on
  24. craft — boats

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