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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rule — a law
  4. game — wild animals
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. rule — government
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bank — for money
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rash — a series
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. game — a match
  23. rash — hasty
  24. game — a kind of play

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