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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. charge — in control
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. degree — temperature
  9. key — the most important part
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rush — hurry
  12. key — for a lock
  13. date — the fruit
  14. branch — a division
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. key — in music
  17. degree — from a university
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cell — a phone
  20. charge — electricity
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. charge — a price

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