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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · mouse · rock · lie · bass · current · fan · mine

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. current — electric
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rule — a law
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rule — government
  11. rock — music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. current — of water
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bass — low music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rock — a stone
  23. current — happening now
  24. mouse — the animal

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