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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bank — for money
  3. rule — government
  4. drill — the tool
  5. press — a publisher
  6. spell — magic
  7. current — happening now
  8. press — newspapers
  9. spring — the season
  10. fine — all right
  11. rule — a law
  12. fine — high quality
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. spring — a coil
  16. drill — army training
  17. spring — of water
  18. current — of water
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bank — for money
  23. press — to push
  24. current — electric

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