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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  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. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. branch — a division
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rule — a law
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — government
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. can — a tin
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cap — a lid
  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