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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. charge — in control
  3. mark — a trace
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — to play on
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. track — a song
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bank — for money
  10. track — to keep track
  11. swing — music
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. branch — a division
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. charge — a price
  18. track — a path
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bank — for money
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bank — of a river
  24. charge — electricity

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