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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rule — a law
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. band — a ring
  15. rush — hurry
  16. band — a music group
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rule — government
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. suit — clothes
  24. perch — the fish

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