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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. scale — size or range
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — there
  8. rule — a law
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. degree — temperature
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. degree — from a university
  17. season — of the year
  18. rule — government
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. present — a gift
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. degree — an amount
  24. season — in sport

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