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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. saw — the tool
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bank — for money
  7. row — to paddle
  8. perch — the fish
  9. press — a publisher
  10. press — to push
  11. bank — for money
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. foot — a measure
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. row — a line
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bank — of a river

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