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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. rule — a law
  3. chair — a leader
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rash — a series
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. branch — a division
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. spell — a short time
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. lean — thin
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rule — government

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