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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — government
  3. bank — of a river
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bank — for money
  6. mine — for digging
  7. tear — to rip
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. wind — moving air

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