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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rule — a law
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rule — government
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. wake — a trail
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. staff — a stick
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. staff — employees
  23. bank — for money
  24. staff — employees

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