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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.

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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. march — music
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. craft — boats
  8. march — the month
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rule — government
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rule — a law
  18. rest — a break
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — completely
  21. cell — a phone
  22. march — the month
  23. branch — a division
  24. fan — to cool the 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