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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · rest · stick · wind · rule · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rule — a law
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wind — moving air
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rest — a break
  9. rule — government
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rest — what's left

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