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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: bound · rash · deal · bank · mine · mouse · saw · rule

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rash — a series
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. deal — to handle
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rule — a law
  15. saw — the tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bank — for money
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rule — government
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bank — for money

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