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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bank — for money
  3. rule — government
  4. present — the time now
  5. wake — a trail
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. present — there
  10. rule — a law
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. present — a gift
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bank — of a river
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. prune — to trim

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