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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. rock — a stone
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. branch — a division
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rule — government
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. drill — army training
  12. squash — to crush
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ground — a position
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rock — music
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rock — to move gently
  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