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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 120 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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. capital — a city
  3. bulb — for light
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. charge — in control
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. capital — money
  14. fork — in a road
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chair — a leader
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — a price
  24. branch — a division

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