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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ground — crushed
  4. rule — government
  5. scale — in music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. scale — size or range
  9. snap — to click
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. content — the amount
  14. ground — the earth
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ground — a position
  21. rule — a law
  22. content — happy
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. branch — a division

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