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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.

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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 · band · face · can · object · rest · pound · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. can — a tin
  3. pound — a weight
  4. can — to be able to
  5. face — to point toward
  6. can — a tin
  7. object — to protest
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. band — a ring
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rule — government
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. face — part of the head
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. object — an aim
  20. face — to confront
  21. rule — a law
  22. band — a music group
  23. rest — what's left
  24. object — a thing

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