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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. scale — in music
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rock — a stone
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rule — a law
  8. branch — a division
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ground — a position
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ground — crushed
  17. rock — music
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rock — to move gently

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