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

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. charge — a price
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pop — soda
  6. charge — electricity
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pop — music
  9. spell — magic
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. spell — a short time
  14. branch — a division
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. spell — letters
  17. sharp — clever
  18. calf — a young animal

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