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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: tube · bulb · rule · deal · fan · pass · mug · snap

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rule — a law
  6. mug — a face
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. snap — to click
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mug — to rob
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — government
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tube — a container
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. tube — the underground

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