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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rule — government
  3. fine — high quality
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. club — a group
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bound — certain
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rule — a law
  16. bound — tied together
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — all right
  19. club — for golf
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. prune — to trim
  22. face — to confront
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. face — to point toward

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