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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 116 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pound — a weight
  4. key — for a lock
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. branch — a division
  10. charge — electricity
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. clip — for paper
  18. key — the most important part
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. charge — a price
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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