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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: bank · deal · saw · chair · calf · current · pound · rule

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. current — of water
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pound — a weight
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bank — for money
  9. current — electric
  10. saw — the tool
  11. current — happening now
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. rule — government
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. rule — a law
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. calf — a young animal

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