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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. current — happening now
  5. date — the fruit
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bat — the animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. foot — a measure
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. current — of water
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. charge — a price
  21. current — electric
  22. bear — the animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. cue — for pool

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