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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. net — in sport
  4. charge — in control
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. net — for catching
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bass — the fish
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. net — after costs
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. branch — a division
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a match
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bass — low music

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