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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. land — to come down
  4. rule — government
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cue — a hint
  8. land — a country
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — a division
  11. club — for golf
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cue — a signal
  19. land — ground
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rule — a law
  24. club — a group

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