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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: pass · wind · stand · charge · bulb · rule · capital · temple

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rule — a law
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wind — moving air
  11. capital — money
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rule — government
  16. charge — a price
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — a permit
  23. capital — a city
  24. temple — side of the head

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