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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 120 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 ball is in your ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. court — for sport
  3. rule — a law
  4. present — there
  5. court — of a king
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. court — of law
  13. bank — for money
  14. root — of a word
  15. bank — of a river
  16. root — of a plant
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — to rob
  20. craft — a skill
  21. suit — clothes
  22. root — the cause
  23. bank — for money
  24. suit — in cards

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