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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 124 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. bass — the fish
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bass — low music
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. content — the amount
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. charge — a price
  23. content — happy
  24. branch — a division

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