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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rule — a law
  3. dip — to sink
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rule — government
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bank — for money
  8. object — an aim
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bank — of a river
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. branch — a division
  14. bank — for money
  15. object — to protest
  16. row — a line
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. object — a thing
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. branch — of a tree

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