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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. land — to come down
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. chest — a box
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rule — government
  12. branch — a division
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. land — a country
  21. rule — a law
  22. plane — a tool
  23. land — ground
  24. racket — for tennis

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