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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 116 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. lean — to bend
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. lean — thin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chair — a leader
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. branch — a division
  24. lean — to rest against

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