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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. charge — a price
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pass — a permit
  6. content — happy
  7. branch — a division
  8. last — finally
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. last — final
  12. last — to go on
  13. mug — to rob
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — in control
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — a cup
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — for money
  20. content — the amount
  21. charge — electricity
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mug — a face
  24. content — videos and posts

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