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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.

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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: fine · fan · root · rush · spell · wake · tube · rule

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. root — of a plant
  6. root — the cause
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rule — government
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. root — of a word
  13. fine — all right
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rule — a law
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. tube — a container
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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