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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — the most important part
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. mug — a face
  7. key — for a lock
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — in music
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mug — to rob
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rule — government
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. kid — to tease
  23. pound — a weight
  24. kid — child

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