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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pass — a permit
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rule — government
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. spell — magic
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mug — a face
  22. spell — letters
  23. rush — hurry
  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