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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: bank · wave · game · cap · jam · net · rule · firm

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bank — for money
  4. net — for catching
  5. rule — government
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. game — a match
  10. firm — a company
  11. cap — of ice
  12. net — after costs
  13. bank — of a river
  14. game — wild animals
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. firm — steady
  17. bank — for money
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. firm — decided
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. net — in sport
  24. jam — in traffic

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