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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — all right
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bank — for money
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. kid — child
  12. swing — to play on
  13. rule — government
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stand — to bear
  16. band — a ring
  17. rule — a law
  18. kid — to tease
  19. fine — high quality
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — music
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. band — a music group

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