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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 put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. can — a tin
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. root — of a word
  7. can — a tin
  8. wax — to grow
  9. band — a music group
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rule — government
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chip — to eat
  14. land — a country
  15. pit — in a race
  16. root — the cause
  17. rule — a law
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. land — to come down
  20. band — a ring
  21. root — of a plant
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. land — ground
  24. chip — for betting

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