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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. sharp — clever
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stand — to bear
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bank — of a river
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. plane — a tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — for money
  17. rule — government
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rule — a law
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a ring
  24. bay — a horse colour

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