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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: date · rule · rush · ruler · game · racket · wax · bank

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rush — hurry
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bank — for money
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rule — a law
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rule — government
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. game — a match
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bank — for money

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