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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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. bank — for money
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. hand — help
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bark — to shout
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. date — the fruit
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. fork — in a road
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. fork — to eat with

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