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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. lean — thin
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spell — magic
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. charge — a price
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. spell — letters
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. race — a contest
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bark — to shout
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. patient — a sick person

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