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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 · mark · fine · roll · pitcher · rush · bank · march

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. march — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. march — the month
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rule — a law
  13. roll — a list
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bank — for money
  19. rule — government
  20. march — the month
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fine — all right
  24. roll — on a roll

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