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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: pit · rule · track · chip · stick · bank · bay · staff

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bank — of a river
  4. track — a path
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. staff — employees
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bank — for money
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pit — a hole
  15. staff — a stick
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. staff — employees
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. track — a song
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — government
  24. chip — for betting

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