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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 120 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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rock — music
  6. spring — the season
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. can — a tin
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. can — to be able to
  16. spring — of water
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — a tin
  21. rule — government
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rule — a law

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