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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: net · track · arm · bark · rule · hand · cabinet · bank

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bank — for money
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. track — a path
  10. bank — of a river
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. net — after costs
  14. bark — to shout
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. net — for catching
  18. hand — help
  19. rule — a law
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. net — in sport
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — government
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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