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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. ball — a great time
  21. branch — a division
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fan — to cool the air

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