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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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rush — hurry
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. branch — a division
  11. spell — letters
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — a practice
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. drill — army training
  18. deal — to handle
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. spell — magic

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