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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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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: rule · branch · scale · deal · rash · mate · toast · cabinet

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. scale — in music
  4. rash — hasty
  5. mate — a friend
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. mate — to breed
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rash — a series
  11. branch — a division
  12. deal — to handle
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rule — a law
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mate — a partner
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. toast — bread
  21. rule — government
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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