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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rule — government
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — for money
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — the time now
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mark — a grade
  14. key — the most important part
  15. present — a gift
  16. bank — for money
  17. branch — a division
  18. rule — a law
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bank — of a river
  22. key — in music
  23. present — there
  24. mark — a trace

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