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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · fan · leaves · charge · wake · race · rule · bark

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wake — a trail
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. race — humankind
  6. bark — to shout
  7. charge — electricity
  8. band — a music group
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — a price
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. charge — in control
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. rule — a law
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. band — a ring
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — a contest
  24. leaves — lets stay

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