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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · can · cap · fan · sharp · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. can — a tin
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. can — a tin
  7. cap — a hat
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rule — government
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rule — a law
  17. sharp — clever
  18. 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