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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. staff — employees
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. tear — to rip
  9. firm — steady
  10. branch — a division
  11. tear — from crying
  12. wake — a trail
  13. firm — decided
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. staff — employees
  20. tear — from crying
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pound — a weight

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