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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. spell — magic
  3. cell — a phone
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. branch — a division
  7. spell — letters
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. charge — in control
  11. mug — a cup
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. spell — a short time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. charge — a price
  20. mug — a face
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mug — to rob
  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