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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rule — government
  4. race — the arms race
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rock — music
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. branch — a division
  14. rock — a stone
  15. race — a contest
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rule — a law
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. race — humankind

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