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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: rule · sharp · row · bank · craft · stand · rest · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. rest — what's left
  10. row — a line
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bank — for money
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rest — a break
  15. stand — to bear
  16. row — to paddle
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. craft — boats
  23. tube — the underground
  24. craft — a handicraft

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