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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pitch — completely
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — in control
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. branch — a division
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. board — a committee
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — to get on
  21. charge — electricity
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. band — a music group
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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