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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bass — low music
  13. rule — a law
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — for money
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pound — to hit hard

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