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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 116 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: rule · branch · trunk · mark · stick · deal · drill · scale

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. drill — a practice
  5. rule — a law
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mark — a grade
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. drill — the tool
  14. scale — in music
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. mark — a trace
  17. drill — army training
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. deal — to handle
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. branch — a division
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rule — government

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