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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. charge — electricity
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spring — the season
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. kick — in football
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. charge — a price
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. charge — in control
  17. branch — a division
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — of water
  24. chair — a leader

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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