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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — a law
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pound — a weight
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — 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