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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 124 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ball — a dance
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ball — a great time
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bank — for money
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rule — government
  15. bank — of a river
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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