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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a music group
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. board — to get on
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. tube — the underground
  9. band — a ring
  10. tube — a container
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — for light
  13. rule — government
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. board — a committee
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bank — of a river
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pound — a weight

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