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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rush — hurry
  3. fork — in a road
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. press — to push
  8. charge — electricity
  9. press — newspapers
  10. charge — in control
  11. press — a publisher
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. race — a contest
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. branch — a division
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. race — humankind
  24. rush — a thrill

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