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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: rule · rush · sharp · bay · land · nail · lean · fan

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. rule — government
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. sharp — clever
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lean — to bend
  17. land — ground
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. land — a country

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