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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — all right
  5. track — a song
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. shower — rain
  8. charge — electricity
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. track — to keep track
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fine — high quality
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. track — a path
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. charge — a price
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pass — a permit

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