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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. shower — rain
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. shower — to wash
  15. rule — government
  16. branch — a division
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rule — a law
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rock — a stone
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pass — a permit

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