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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tear — to rip
  8. wind — moving air
  9. charge — in control
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — a weight
  12. wind — moving air
  13. key — the most important part
  14. charge — a price
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tear — from crying
  24. key — for a lock

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