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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: pit · rule · bank · chip · leaves · rash · spell · firm

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rule — government
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — decided
  6. spell — letters
  7. rash — a series
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. pit — in a race
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. rule — a law
  16. firm — a company
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. chip — to eat
  19. firm — steady
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rash — hasty
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. chip — in a computer

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