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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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rule — government
  3. tear — to rip
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. tear — from crying
  6. branch — a division
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rest — a break
  13. pass — a permit
  14. court — for sport
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stand — on your feet

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