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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fine — high quality
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fine — all right
  8. bank — for money
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — in a race
  13. rule — a law
  14. branch — a division
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rule — government
  21. present — there
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — of a tree

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