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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — a weight
  6. mark — a trace
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. fine — all right
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. branch — a division
  15. rule — government
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rule — a law
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. branch — of a bank

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