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

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. land — to come down
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. land — a country
  4. rule — a law
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cap — a hat
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mug — a cup
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mug — to rob
  12. hand — help
  13. rule — government
  14. land — ground
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mug — a face
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. branch — a division
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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