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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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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: ball · bank · cabinet · squash · bear · rest · rule · ruler

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bank — for money
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rule — government
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rule — a law
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bank — for money
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bank — of a river
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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