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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. swing — music
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. charge — in control
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. swing — to play on
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. kid — to tease
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. game — a match
  13. capital — a city
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. kid — child
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. swing — in golf
  22. capital — money
  23. charge — a price
  24. game — wild animals

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