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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: mine · bark · mate · straw · rule · bass · bore · bank

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rule — a law
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bark — to shout
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bass — low music
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rule — government
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bore — to tire
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mine — for digging

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