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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. scale — in music
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rash — a series
  9. scale — size or range
  10. can — a tin
  11. rule — government
  12. can — a tin
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. wind — moving air
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — a division
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rule — a law
  22. wind — moving air
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rash — on the skin

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