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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. charge — a price
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. can — a tin
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a document
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. charge — in control
  16. object — to protest
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. object — a thing
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — an aim
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rest — a break
  24. can — to be able to

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