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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. chest — a box
  3. net — in sport
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rule — a law
  6. pop — music
  7. rule — government
  8. bank — for money
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rash — a series
  17. pop — soda
  18. staff — employees
  19. chest — of your body
  20. rash — hasty
  21. net — after costs
  22. staff — employees
  23. net — for catching
  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