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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 116 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: leaves · bank · pass · rock · object · file · nail · rule

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. rule — government
  5. object — a thing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. rule — a law
  10. object — to protest
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. object — an aim
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rock — music
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. file — a line of people
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. nail — on a finger

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