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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 · fine · bank · pitcher · suit · bulb · roll · rule

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bank — of a river
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fine — all right
  8. rule — a law
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. roll — a cake
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. roll — a list
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mine — for digging
  24. fine — high quality

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