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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bat — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. suit — to fit
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rule — a law
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — clothes
  21. roll — a list
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. roll — a cake

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