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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: rule · bank · rash · fan · fine · rest · wave · bark

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. fine — all right
  9. rash — hasty
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rule — government
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rule — a law
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. rest — a break
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rash — a series
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bank — for money
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — a supporter

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