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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: face · chest · bore · bank · fine · trunk · rule · suit

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — in cards
  4. face — to confront
  5. bore — to tire
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — high quality
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rule — a law
  12. suit — to fit
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. chest — a box
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bank — for money
  24. suit — clothes

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