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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rule — a law
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. land — a country
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. rule — government
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stem — to come from
  15. kick — in football
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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