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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. tear — from crying
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. deal — to handle
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a great time
  7. tear — to rip
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bound — obliged
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bound — tied together
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bound — certain
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. spell — letters
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. staff — a stick
  24. spell — magic

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