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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. charge — in control
  3. track — a song
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cue — for pool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. content — the amount
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fall — the season
  12. track — to keep track
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — a path
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. content — happy
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cue — a signal
  20. branch — a division
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. branch — of a bank

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