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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · present · file · bear · pitcher · wax · chip · charge

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. file — a document
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. charge — a price
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wax — to grow
  15. file — a tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — there
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. file — a line of people
  23. chip — for betting
  24. charge — in control

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