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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cue — for pool
  7. snap — to click
  8. cue — a hint
  9. spell — letters
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rule — a law
  12. squash — to crush
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spell — magic
  15. branch — a division
  16. rule — government
  17. squash — the sport
  18. suit — in cards
  19. spell — a short time
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cue — a signal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. squash — the vegetable

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