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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bank — for money
  3. file — a tool
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rest — a break
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rule — a law
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rule — government
  11. file — a line of people
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bank — for money
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. file — a document

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