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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: snap · land · bound · fan · tube · arm · rule · suit

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. land — ground
  8. bound — certain
  9. tube — the underground
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. snap — to click
  13. rule — a law
  14. suit — in cards
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. land — a country
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. land — to come down
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rule — government
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — to fit
  24. arm — part of the body

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