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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 120 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: rest · bank · club · rule · race · calf · drill · wake

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — for golf
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. bank — of a river
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. drill — the tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. club — a group
  10. drill — a practice
  11. race — a contest
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — a trail
  15. drill — army training
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rule — government
  18. rest — a break
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. rule — a law
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rest — what's left
  24. calf — a young animal

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