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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 120 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: rock · calf · rule · suit · clip · file · bank · band

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. file — a tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rule — a law
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. clip — to cut
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. file — a document
  12. bank — for money
  13. band — a music group
  14. rule — government
  15. clip — a video
  16. band — a ring
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. clip — for paper
  20. suit — in cards
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. suit — to fit
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rule — to rule out

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