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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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. cold — not warm
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. root — the cause
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — decided
  8. snap — to click
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. charge — in control
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. charge — electricity
  16. branch — a division
  17. cold — an illness
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — steady
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. deal — to handle
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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