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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — music
  14. root — the cause
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rock — a stone
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rule — government
  19. mark — a trace
  20. root — of a word
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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