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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bank — of a river
  3. dip — to sink
  4. track — to keep track
  5. drill — a practice
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bank — for money
  8. rule — government
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. degree — an amount
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. degree — from a university
  18. track — a path
  19. drill — army training
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. drill — the tool
  22. track — a song
  23. rule — a law
  24. bank — for money

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