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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: lash · staff · present · bank · rule · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — there
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bank — for money
  6. staff — employees
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. present — the time now
  11. file — a tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. staff — employees
  14. bank — of a river
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rule — a law
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. present — a gift

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