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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. court — of a king
  4. land — to come down
  5. charge — in control
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. charge — electricity
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. content — happy
  10. land — ground
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. court — for sport
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. charge — a price
  18. branch — a division
  19. court — of law
  20. content — the amount
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. land — a country
  24. safe — a strongbox

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