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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mug — a face
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mug — to rob
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. stock — shares
  9. fine — all right
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rule — a law
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rule — government
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — for betting
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stock — goods
  21. rush — hurry
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. rule — to rule out

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