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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mark — a trace
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mark — a grade
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rule — government
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rule — a law

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