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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — there
  7. branch — a division
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. suit — in cards
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. suit — to fit
  12. field — a subject
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. suit — clothes
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. present — a gift
  18. field — farmland
  19. charge — in control
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. field — for sport
  22. snap — to click
  23. present — the time now
  24. coach — a trainer

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