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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · deal · charge · rock · plane · branch · foot · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rule — a law
  4. charge — electricity
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. deal — to handle
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. charge — in control
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. plane — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rock — a stone
  24. foot — part of the body

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