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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. stock — goods
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. board — a committee
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. board — to get on
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. charge — a price
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bank — for money
  21. stock — shares
  22. branch — a division
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bank — for money

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