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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  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. bank — for money
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rule — a law
  4. land — to come down
  5. club — a group
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mine — for digging
  12. club — for golf
  13. board — to get on
  14. land — ground
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. land — a country
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rule — government
  23. club — for dancing
  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