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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: land · saw · stock · bay · rule · nail · bank · press

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — a law
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. stock — shares
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stock — goods
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. land — a country
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — to push
  17. rule — government
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bank — for money
  24. land — ground

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