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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: root · rule · saw · kick · fork · can · charge · band

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. charge — in control
  3. saw — the tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. charge — electricity
  6. can — a tin
  7. root — the cause
  8. band — a ring
  9. rule — a law
  10. kick — in football
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. root — of a plant
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. root — of a word
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. charge — a price
  24. rule — to rule out

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