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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. object — a thing
  4. branch — a division
  5. toast — bread
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. object — an aim
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. object — to protest
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pitcher — a jug

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