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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rash — a series
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rule — government
  5. spring — the season
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — of a river
  9. spring — of water
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. board — to get on
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rash — hasty
  16. spring — a coil
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — a law
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. board — a committee
  24. rash — on the skin

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