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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: board · bank · hand · tear · saw · fine · suit · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bank — for money
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. tear — to rip
  9. fine — high quality
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. fine — all right
  12. board — to get on
  13. tear — from crying
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bank — for money
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. board — a committee
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rule — a law
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bank — of a river

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