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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pitch — completely
  7. game — wild animals
  8. lie — to recline
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. land — to come down
  12. charge — electricity
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. branch — a division
  17. rest — what's left
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. game — a match
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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