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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: ball · rule · lean · key · saw · band · mug · leaves

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. rule — a law
  4. key — in music
  5. rule — government
  6. band — a ring
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lean — to bend
  12. ball — a dance
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mug — a face
  19. band — a music group
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. lean — to rest against

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