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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mate — a partner
  3. wake — a trail
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. charge — electricity
  6. drill — army training
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mate — a friend
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. branch — a division
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — a practice
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mate — to breed
  22. charge — in control
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wake — before a funeral

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