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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — certain
  7. bank — for money
  8. rule — government
  9. face — to point toward
  10. branch — a division
  11. bank — of a river
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bank — for money
  18. bound — obliged
  19. ground — a position
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rule — a law
  23. face — to confront
  24. temple — side of the head

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