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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: rule · bank · drill · current · stick · bowl · present · season

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rule — government
  3. present — a gift
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. current — electric
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bank — for money
  8. present — there
  9. bank — for money
  10. drill — army training
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. current — happening now
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. current — of water
  20. present — the time now
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bank — of a river
  24. rule — a law

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