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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bank — for money
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. craft — boats
  23. fork — in a road
  24. wound — an injury

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