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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. charge — electricity
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. charge — a price
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. fine — high quality
  8. charge — in control
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. kid — child
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wake — a trail
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. branch — a division
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — to tease
  22. fine — all right
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fine — a penalty

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