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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. saw — the tool
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cap — a lid
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rule — a law
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. suit — clothes
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rule — government
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. suit — to fit
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cap — of ice
  24. suit — in cards

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