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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. key — for a lock
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — a law
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. last — finally
  8. key — in music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. band — a ring
  12. rule — government
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bank — of a river
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. band — a music group
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. cabinet — ministers

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