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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. kid — child
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. charge — a price
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bear — the animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. board — a committee
  13. branch — a division
  14. deal — to handle
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. board — to get on
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. charge — in control
  24. foot — a measure

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