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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — of the year
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. rush — hurry
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rule — a law
  11. craft — boats
  12. branch — a division
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. charge — a price
  18. rule — government
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. season — in sport
  24. rush — to hurry

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