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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: toast · lie · band · roll · rule · degree · chip · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rule — government
  6. bore — to tire
  7. toast — bread
  8. band — a music group
  9. roll — a cake
  10. degree — from a university
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — for betting
  13. roll — a list
  14. chip — to eat
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. degree — an amount
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. degree — temperature
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. rule — a law
  24. band — a ring

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