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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. current — of water
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bank — of a river
  6. tear — from crying
  7. current — happening now
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. current — electric
  15. bank — for money
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bank — for money
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cold — not warm
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cold — an illness
  23. rule — government
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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