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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: board · rule · bank · pit · drill · fine · date · rash

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  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. drill — army training
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bank — of a river
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. board — a committee
  7. rule — government
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bank — for money
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rash — a series
  14. fine — all right
  15. rule — a law
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bank — for money
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. board — to get on
  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