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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: can · rule · branch · land · suit · fine · patient · bank

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. land — ground
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — government
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bank — of a river
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. suit — in cards
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — all right
  11. can — a tin
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. can — to be able to
  16. suit — clothes
  17. branch — a division
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. land — to come down
  22. can — a tin
  23. land — a country
  24. patient — a sick person

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