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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: dip · arm · fall · suit · season · mark · bank · rule

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mark — a grade
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mark — a trace
  6. dip — to sink
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. season — of the year
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rule — government
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fall — the season
  19. bank — for money
  20. fall — to drop
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rule — a law
  24. season — in sport

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