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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bank — of a river
  3. branch — a division
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bank — for money
  7. bat — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — an amount
  10. degree — temperature
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. pound — a weight
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. charge — a price
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bore — to tire
  24. branch — of a tree

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