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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rule — a law
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fine — all right
  6. rule — government
  7. current — of water
  8. lean — thin
  9. drill — a practice
  10. march — the month
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bank — for money
  13. current — happening now
  14. bank — for money
  15. can — a tin
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. drill — army training
  18. bank — of a river
  19. can — to be able to
  20. drill — the tool
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. fine — high quality
  24. current — electric

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