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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. band — a ring
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. band — a music group
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rule — a law
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. rule — government

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