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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 116 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bore — to tire
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — a law
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. board — to get on
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bank — for money
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bank — of a river
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. suit — in cards

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