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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bank — for money
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — magic
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rule — a law
  8. spell — a short time
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. spell — letters
  13. cell — a phone
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rule — government
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. branch — a division
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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