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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a ring
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. toast — bread
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. vault — a safe
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — a law
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. stand — to bear
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rule — government
  24. band — a music group

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