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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 124 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: net · fan · dip · hand · stick · fall · jam · rule

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. hand — in cards
  3. dip — to sink
  4. net — for catching
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rule — a law
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. hand — help
  12. net — in sport
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rule — government
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. net — after costs
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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