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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rash — a series
  5. bank — for money
  6. firm — steady
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. firm — decided
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rock — music
  15. rule — government
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. press — to push
  20. press — newspapers
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rule — a law
  23. firm — a company
  24. press — a publisher

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