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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — for money
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rule — government
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rule — a law

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