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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bank — for money
  4. mine — for digging
  5. branch — a division
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cap — of ice
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. last — finally
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bank — for money
  14. scale — in music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. last — to go on
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bass — low music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bank — of a river
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. last — final

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