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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 124 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. ground — a position
  13. branch — a division
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rule — government
  20. ground — the earth
  21. kick — in football
  22. rule — a law
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. tube — a container

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