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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: ruler · bank · key · rule · chair · branch

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rule — government
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rule — a law
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bank — for money
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. key — for a lock
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — in music

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