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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. charge — a price
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. branch — a division
  10. chair — a leader
  11. charge — in control
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fall — the season
  18. roll — a cake
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rock — music
  22. roll — a list
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. chair — to sit on

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