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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. row — to paddle
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bank — of a river
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bank — for money
  7. field — a subject
  8. present — the time now
  9. track — to keep track
  10. row — a line
  11. present — a gift
  12. field — farmland
  13. bulb — for light
  14. field — for sport
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. present — there
  17. track — a path
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. track — a song
  20. rule — a law
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — for light

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