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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. track — a song
  3. staff — employees
  4. rule — a law
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. staff — a stick
  15. branch — a division
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rule — government
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — a practice
  24. racket — a loud noise

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