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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · band · rule · file · roll · fan · row · mug

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rule — government
  4. file — a document
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — a list
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mug — a face
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rule — a law
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. row — a line
  20. file — a tool
  21. mug — a cup
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a music group
  24. 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