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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rush — hurry
  6. content — the amount
  7. face — part of the head
  8. content — happy
  9. swing — music
  10. charge — electricity
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. face — to confront
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. face — to point toward
  23. branch — of a bank
  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