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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: fan · lie · mug · rule · bass · staff · dip · bowl

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. staff — employees
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — a face
  22. staff — employees
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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