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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. cap — a lid
  5. object — an aim
  6. cap — of ice
  7. mate — to breed
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. swing — to play on
  10. object — to protest
  11. swing — music
  12. rule — a law
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. track — a path
  16. branch — a division
  17. rule — government
  18. track — to keep track
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cap — a hat
  21. object — a thing
  22. root — of a plant
  23. track — a song
  24. mate — a friend

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