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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. spell — magic
  5. wind — moving air
  6. suit — in cards
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bass — the fish
  9. spell — a short time
  10. branch — a division
  11. bass — low music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rule — government
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. spell — letters
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — of a bank

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