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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rule — government
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bound — certain
  6. bound — obliged
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. band — a music group
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — tied together
  15. band — a ring
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — a law
  24. cap — a lid

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