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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 116 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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. suit — to fit
  6. root — of a plant
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — decided
  9. root — of a word
  10. rule — a law
  11. firm — a company
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. suit — clothes
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. rule — government
  18. clip — a video
  19. band — a music group
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. firm — steady
  22. suit — in cards
  23. root — the cause
  24. fan — a supporter

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