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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rest — a break
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mug — a face
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rule — a law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rule — government
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mug — to rob
  14. field — farmland
  15. rest — what's left
  16. field — for sport
  17. scale — in music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fine — all right
  20. branch — a division
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. field — a subject
  24. mug — a cup

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