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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: mine · prune · rock · cabinet · rule · bank · bound · current

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rock — a stone
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bound — certain
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. current — happening now
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. current — of water
  16. bound — tied together
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bound — obliged
  22. current — electric
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rock — music

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