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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. rest — what's left
  6. shower — rain
  7. lean — thin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bound — obliged
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. branch — a division
  13. rule — a law
  14. bound — certain
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rule — government
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rest — a break
  22. mark — a trace
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — of a tree

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