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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rule — government
  3. bank — for money
  4. present — a gift
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. tube — a container
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. rule — a law
  11. bank — for money
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. present — there
  24. wave — with your hand

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