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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.

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: rule · object · band · mug · firm · fan · bay · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. rule — government
  3. mug — to rob
  4. firm — decided
  5. mug — a cup
  6. object — to protest
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mug — a face
  11. rule — a law
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. firm — steady
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. object — a thing
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. firm — a company
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. file — a document
  24. object — an aim

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