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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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Word bank
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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: bark · object · net · bank · cell · rule

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — a law
  3. net — for catching
  4. bark — to shout
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. object — a thing
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. net — in sport
  13. object — an aim
  14. rule — government
  15. net — after costs
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. object — to protest

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