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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 116 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — a law
  7. chair — a leader
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. present — there
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. present — a gift
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. band — a music group
  16. bank — for money
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bank — of a river
  20. snap — to click
  21. rule — government
  22. charge — a price
  23. present — the time now
  24. charge — in control

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