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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rule — a law
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mark — a grade
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bank — of a river
  19. shower — rain
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bank — for money

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