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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. 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. rule — a law
  2. band — a music group
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. current — of water
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. last — to go on
  7. squash — the sport
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. band — a ring
  10. current — happening now
  11. saw — the tool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — electric
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. last — finally
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. last — final
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. rule — government

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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