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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bank — for money
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bore — to drill
  6. row — a line
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bank — for money
  13. pass — a permit
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bound — certain
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rule — government
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bore — to tire

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