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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bound — obliged
  3. season — of the year
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. charge — in control
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bound — certain
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. season — in sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bound — tied together
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. charge — electricity
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. charge — a price
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. branch — of a tree

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