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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: pound · rule · snap · bank · mark · stand

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bank — for money
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. snap — to click
  12. rule — a law
  13. bank — for money
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rule — to rule out

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