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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. rule — a law
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wake — a trail
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. rule — government
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. club — a group
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bank — for money
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. club — for dancing
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rule — to rule out

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