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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. last — finally
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. last — final
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. snap — to click
  16. charge — a price
  17. branch — a division
  18. last — to go on
  19. rash — hasty
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rash — a series
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cabinet — ministers

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