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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: saw · rule · pitcher · degree · deal · bank · wave · nail

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bank — for money
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — of a river
  10. deal — to handle
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. degree — temperature
  14. rule — government
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. degree — an amount
  17. rule — a law
  18. saw — the tool
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. saw — the tool
  22. degree — from a university
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. wave — of the sea

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