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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 120 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: rest · bank · bay · rush · rule · kid · bulb · racket

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rule — government
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — for money
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. racket — a loud noise

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