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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.

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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: content · cap · tube · fan · season · rule · bore · suit

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — the underground
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. content — the amount
  15. season — in sport
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bore — to tire
  18. suit — in cards
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. rule — a law
  21. content — happy
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. tube — a container
  24. fan — a supporter

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