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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. branch — a division
  3. rule — a law
  4. object — an aim
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — to protest
  9. rule — government
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. present — a gift
  13. charge — in control
  14. object — a thing
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. present — there
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. perch — the fish
  22. charge — a price
  23. present — the time now
  24. charge — electricity

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