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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. roll — a list
  5. pass — a permit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — of a river
  8. tube — a container
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. tube — the underground
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. rule — government
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — a law
  20. rock — a stone
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bank — for money
  24. calf — a young animal

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