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

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. craft — boats
  3. pop — music
  4. craft — a skill
  5. board — to get on
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — in control
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. branch — a division
  15. wake — a trail
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. charge — a price
  18. craft — a handicraft

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