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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rule — a law
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. firm — decided
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. firm — steady
  9. swing — to play on
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. branch — a division
  14. swing — music
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rule — government
  22. drill — a practice
  23. swing — in golf
  24. firm — a company

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