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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: leaves · can · suit · squash · rule · dip · rock · band

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rock — music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rule — government
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. can — a tin
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — a stone
  15. squash — the sport
  16. suit — clothes
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. can — a tin
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. squash — to crush
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. band — a ring
  24. suit — in cards

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