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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: band · tube · leaves · rush · cabinet · fan · rule · bark

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — a law
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. tube — a container
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rule — government
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — hurry
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. band — a music group
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bark — to shout

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