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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 120 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. scale — in music
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. scale — size or range
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. chip — for betting
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. patient — a sick person

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