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

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. band — a ring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. rule — a law
  7. saw — the tool
  8. band — a music group
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. can — a tin
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chip — for betting
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stand — to bear
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. rule — government
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — for spectators

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