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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: board · spring · mine · rule · file · present · charge · suit

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rule — government
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — a committee
  6. suit — in cards
  7. file — a tool
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. present — the time now
  10. charge — a price
  11. spring — of water
  12. present — a gift
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rule — a law
  15. present — there
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. board — to get on
  21. charge — electricity
  22. file — a document
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. spring — the season

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