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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: rule · bay · land · trunk · current · tube · game · bowl

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. current — of water
  3. land — to come down
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. tube — a container
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. current — electric
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. land — a country
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. current — happening now
  14. land — ground
  15. game — a match
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rule — a law
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bay — a horse colour

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