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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. branch — a division
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bear — the animal
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — happy
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. content — the amount
  16. charge — a price
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bowl — to roll

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