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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. rule — government
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. band — a music group
  15. rule — a law
  16. fork — in a road
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. band — a ring
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. deal — to handle

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