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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bank — for money
  3. rest — what's left
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. rule — government
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rule — a law
  19. fine — all right
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rest — a break
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. roll — a list
  24. rest — what's left

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