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

Word bank: mine · fall · branch · roll · key · bay · rule · cap

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. branch — a division
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fall — to drop
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rule — government
  9. key — in music
  10. roll — a list
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. key — for a lock
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fall — the season
  18. mine — for digging
  19. rule — a law
  20. roll — a cake
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fall — to drop
  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