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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: cabinet · fan · rule · tube · nail · stand · bank · pound

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rule — government
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. rule — a law
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pound — a weight
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rule — to rule out
  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