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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · march · rule · roll · toast · leaves · game · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. game — wild animals
  5. march — the month
  6. rule — a law
  7. toast — bread
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. roll — a list
  10. bank — of a river
  11. march — music
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. roll — a cake
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bank — for money
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. march — the month
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. game — a match
  24. hide — to keep secret

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