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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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. charge — in control
  4. key — the most important part
  5. charge — a price
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — electricity
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. tube — a container
  19. rock — music
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rock — a stone
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. branch — a division

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