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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. root — of a word
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rule — a law
  12. branch — a division
  13. staff — employees
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rule — government
  22. wound — an injury
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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