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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. charge — in control
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. branch — a division
  6. club — a group
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. march — music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. plane — a tool
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. club — for golf
  24. march — the month

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