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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · lash · march · calf · scale · rule · face · rash

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. face — to confront
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. face — part of the head
  7. scale — in music
  8. march — the month
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. march — the month
  12. rule — government
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. scale — size or range
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. march — music
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. branch — a division
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. face — to point toward
  24. branch — of a bank

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