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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: bay · rule · jam · lie · scale · fan · bound · rash

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. rule — government
  2. bound — obliged
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rule — a law
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rash — a series
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bound — certain
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lie — to recline
  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