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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bank — for money
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. object — to protest
  9. rule — government
  10. object — an aim
  11. bank — of a river
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. object — a thing
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. game — a match
  24. pit — in a race

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