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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. object — to protest
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bank — for money
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rule — a law
  11. kid — to tease
  12. object — a thing
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. kid — child
  16. cell — in biology
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rule — government
  19. object — an aim
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. saw — the tool

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