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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 · face · rule · bulb · bowl · mark · suit · rock

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — to confront
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rock — music

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