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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rule — government
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. board — a committee
  8. mug — a cup
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. board — to get on
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. lean — thin
  14. mug — a face
  15. lean — to bend
  16. staff — a stick
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. staff — employees
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. branch — a division
  24. rule — a law

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