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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rule — government
  4. dip — to sink
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. branch — a division
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. row — to paddle
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mate — a friend
  15. row — a line
  16. season — in sport
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rule — a law
  20. charge — a price
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mate — to breed
  24. charge — in control

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