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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rush — hurry
  5. net — in sport
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. net — for catching
  11. charge — a price
  12. pound — a weight
  13. club — for golf
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lie — to recline
  18. club — for dancing
  19. net — after costs
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pop — soda
  22. charge — electricity
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pop — music

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