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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. rule — a law
  3. fine — high quality
  4. court — of a king
  5. branch — a division
  6. vault — a safe
  7. key — for a lock
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — wild animals
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. court — for sport
  15. key — the most important part
  16. court — of law
  17. game — a match
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fine — all right
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. key — in music
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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