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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 · trunk · bank · club · hide · deal

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. club — a group
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. club — for golf
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. rule — government
  8. bank — for money
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rule — a law
  12. deal — to handle
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — animal skin

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