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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: suit · mug · fall · degree · leaves · fan · bank · rule

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rule — government
  6. bank — for money
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fall — to drop
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. degree — temperature
  12. fall — the season
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fall — to drop
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mug — a face
  19. degree — from a university
  20. rule — a law
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mug — a cup
  24. leaves — of a tree

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