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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. branch — a division
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a dance
  10. saw — the tool
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. tube — the underground
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. tube — a container

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