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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.

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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: leaves · mug · mouse · band · spell · object · stand · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mug — a face
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. object — a thing
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. spell — letters
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rule — a law
  17. spell — magic
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. band — a music group
  21. spell — a short time
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. band — a ring

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