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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bank — for money
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. craft — boats
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — to tease
  9. branch — a division
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bank — for money
  12. court — of a king
  13. charge — a price
  14. craft — a skill
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. charge — in control
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. kid — child
  23. deal — to handle
  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