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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. can — a tin
  4. net — in sport
  5. can — a tin
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. track — to keep track
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. net — for catching
  11. bank — of a river
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bank — for money
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — a law
  17. track — a path
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. track — a song
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. net — after costs
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bank — for money

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