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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 124 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rule — government
  6. kick — in football
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — a publisher
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rule — a law
  14. press — to push
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rock — music
  20. press — newspapers
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. vault — a safe
  23. branch — a division
  24. wind — moving air

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