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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rule — a law
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lean — thin
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mug — a face
  18. saw — the tool
  19. branch — a division
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rule — government
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. nail — for a hammer

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