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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rule — government
  8. bank — of a river
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. row — a line
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. clip — for paper
  17. can — a tin
  18. mug — a cup
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bank — for money
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. can — a tin
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — a video

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