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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.

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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — the time now
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — a price
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. charge — electricity
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — in a race
  16. drill — army training
  17. charge — in control
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pit — a hole
  20. branch — a division
  21. court — of law
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. prune — to trim

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