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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. branch — a division
  3. mug — a face
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lean — to bend
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. lean — thin
  12. fine — all right
  13. mug — to rob
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. mug — a cup
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. charge — electricity

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