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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. scale — in music
  3. track — to keep track
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mine — for digging
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — clothes
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. track — a path
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — in cards
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — a song
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. board — to get on
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — a committee
  24. rule — government

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