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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rule — a law
  8. charge — in control
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lean — thin
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. branch — a division
  16. lean — to bend
  17. march — music
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. club — for dancing
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. charge — a price

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