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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. foot — a measure
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. row — a line
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mate — a friend
  10. chest — a box
  11. mate — a partner
  12. charge — a price
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mate — to breed
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cue — for pool
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. row — to paddle

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