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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: suit · rule · pass · bank · trunk · wake · net · sharp

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rule — government
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wake — a trail
  11. net — after costs
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. rule — a law
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. net — in sport
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bank — of a river
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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