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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rule — government
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mate — to breed
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mate — a friend
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. game — wild animals
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rule — a law
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. board — a committee
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. game — a match
  23. board — to get on
  24. rash — a series

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