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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. rule — a law
  4. bank — of a river
  5. capital — a city
  6. saw — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rule — government
  21. mark — a trace
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. can — to be able to
  24. capital — money

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