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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: bank · fork · present · rule · face · chip · can · perch

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rule — government
  3. perch — the fish
  4. can — a tin
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. can — a tin
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — in a road
  12. face — to confront
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rule — a law
  15. present — the time now
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. face — to point toward
  18. present — there
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. present — a gift
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chip — in a computer

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