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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. branch — a division
  4. rule — government
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. season — in sport
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. current — of water
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. row — to paddle
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. current — electric
  17. row — a line
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. current — happening now
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — of the year
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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