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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. season — in sport
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. fall — the season
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. fall — to drop
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — a grade
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rule — a law
  24. ruler — for measuring

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