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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mate — to breed
  3. object — to protest
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. object — a thing
  6. mate — a partner
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rule — a law
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. face — to confront
  16. branch — a division
  17. rule — government
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rest — a break
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. mate — a friend
  23. object — an aim
  24. rule — to rule out

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