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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: rule · bank · safe · racket · deal · pop

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pop — to visit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pop — music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rule — government
  13. pop — soda
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. deal — a big deal

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