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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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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: bank · mug · straw · fork · rule · pass · game · firm

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rule — a law
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — decided
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — a company
  11. game — a match
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mug — a face
  14. rule — government
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. firm — steady
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rule — to rule out

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