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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rule — a law
  3. bass — low music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. plane — a tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bass — the fish
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rule — government
  23. bulb — for light
  24. plane — an aircraft

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