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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. mate — to breed
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cell — a phone
  7. rash — a series
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. cell — in biology
  11. chip — for betting
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rash — hasty
  16. chip — to eat
  17. branch — a division
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mate — a friend
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. ruler — for measuring

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