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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. game — wild animals
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bore — to tire
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. club — for golf
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. game — a match
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rule — a law
  14. branch — a division
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. club — for dancing
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. rule — government
  22. club — a group
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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