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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cap — of ice
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fine — high quality
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bound — tied together
  13. branch — a division
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bound — certain
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rule — a law
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fine — all right
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. safe — a strongbox

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