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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bank — of a river
  3. file — a tool
  4. rule — a law
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. net — in sport
  7. staff — employees
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a line of people
  10. kick — in football
  11. mug — a face
  12. chip — for betting
  13. net — after costs
  14. bank — for money
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — a cup
  18. net — for catching
  19. mug — to rob
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. staff — employees
  22. rule — government
  23. chip — to eat
  24. staff — a stick

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