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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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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: chest · fan · fine · snap · bulb · ruler · band · bay

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chest — of your body
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — all right
  12. band — a ring
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. snap — to click

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