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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — an aim
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rule — government
  6. object — to protest
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. object — a thing
  19. spell — magic
  20. cell — a phone
  21. craft — boats
  22. rule — a law
  23. board — a committee
  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