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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. cue — a hint
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rule — a law
  7. pop — soda
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rule — government
  14. toast — bread
  15. cue — a signal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. cue — for pool
  20. branch — a division
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. pop — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. rule — to rule out

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