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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. toast — bread
  3. can — a tin
  4. march — the month
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bank — for money
  7. can — to be able to
  8. sharp — clever
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rule — a law
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. march — the month
  15. bank — for money
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. can — a tin
  18. lean — thin
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. march — music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bank — of a river
  24. club — a group

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